Boston’s Autumn Hollow has always occupied an intriguing space between roadhouse rock energy and Americana storytelling, but with their new 10-track album “Say No More”, the band fully embraces their metamorphosis. Recorded at Medford’s Soul Shop with producer Elio DeLuca (Titus Andronicus), the album is a textured, unhurried exploration of roots rock that’s wandered into more adventurous territory—where Leslie speaker-drenched guitars, hillbilly bongos, and homemade GarageBand synths collide with frontman Brendan Murphy’s weathered, incisive vocals.
From the seismic opening chords of “Wooden Wire” to the Permian-Triassic extinction-inspired “The Great Dying,” Say No More feels like a time capsule of pandemic-era observations that have ripened with age. Murphy, a teacher by day, brings a lived-in perspective to lyrics that grapple with social fractures (“If This Keeps Up”, written pre-January 6 but eerily prescient) and personal reckonings, all delivered with the gravitas of a late-night barroom philosopher. The rhythm section—bassist Chuck Vath and drummer Ian McMillan—locks into grooves that are both loose and purposeful, while Mike Burke’s lead guitar weaves between twang and noise with thrilling unpredictability.
Guest contributions—pedal steel by Will Ellis Johnson, banjo by Gabe Hirshfeld, and haunting backing vocals—add rich, organic layers, but the album’s soul lies in its patient craftsmanship. Unlike their Boston Music Award-nominated Throw the House EP, Say No More marinates in its own atmosphere, rewarding close listens with lyrical nuance and sonic Easter eggs (those “hillbilly bongos” alone warrant a replay).
Autumn Hollow hasn’t just leveled up; they’ve redefined their own boundaries. Say No More is roots rock with its sleeves rolled up, equally suited for dive-bar jukeboxes and headphone-lit introspection.
