Austin, TX duo Fairbanks & the Lonesome Light (nee Erik Flores and Amelia Rose Logan) have cooked up a real zinger with Nothing to Escape. Originally hailing from Austin, the pair reunited in LA and found kindred spirits in both their songwriting sensibilities and stamina for partying. Having moved back to Austin, the duo has sobered up. However, Nothing to Escape is no raucous party. It in fact addresses Flores’ efforts to kick his drinking habit. While the band can surely shake the walls, the title track, “Nothing to Escape,” showcases Flores and Logan’s effortless harmonies. Flores’ wordy lyrics are not a hindrance here; in fact, it feels as if the pair has transformed hard-hitting prose into song. The unhurried pedal steel guitar leads to an emotional climax as a newly sober narrator comes to grips with confronting his depression without the aid of substances. The song arrives at a bittersweet conclusion, suggesting an emotional complexity that will make the rest of Nothing to Escape a treat for repeat listeners. It’s certainly a stunner on the first go-round.
