Things look good if you’re Orville Peck. His 2024 album Stampede (his first released under Warner Bros.) was well received and was accompanied by a successful tour. He made his Broadway debut as the Emcee in the revival of Cabaret to critical acclaim. Next year he makes his film debut as Vega in the new Street Fighter. Now, in between all of that, he's released a new EP — Appaloosa.
Peck is a talented musician. Just think about tracks like “Dead of Night,” “Daytona Sand” and his latest single, “Drift Away.” As a songwriter, Peck can paint a picture in the listener's mind of the wild west, American romanticism, chasing your dreams and, ultimately, blowing out of whatever one-horse town you’re stuck in.
Appaloosa is short enough to be considered an EP, but the seven tracks that populate this sonic offering are compiled as a solid piece of work. The opener, “Dreaded Sundown,” is a moody slice of Roy Orbison-inspired country western. The emotion that comes across in Peck's vocal delivery is a highlight on this track (and many of the tracks on Appaloosa.) It's a powerful way to start the EP, and sets the bar high for the rest of the album.
The lead single, “Drift Away,” ventures into Bruce Springsteen territory, but with Peck's own flair to keep it from being a copy. This was one of my favorites on the EP, Bruce Springsteen similarities, or not.
The only song on Appaloosa that felt odd was “Oh My Days.” It's not a bad song, but it was very much a Disney soundtrack sound, and didn't fit the overall vibe of the album. Perhaps it was an homage to his recent Broadway work, and has more meaning to him that we don't know about yet.
At the end of Appaloosa, it’s clear that Peck knows he has a winning formula, and he’s not ready to change up the recipe just yet. And that's just fine.
