Fort Wayne singer-songwriter Ethan William Bowers isn’t interested in fitting neatly into a single lane — and his new EP ‘Panic Tax’ proves exactly why. While his music comfortably brushes up against Americana, it quickly expands beyond any easy label, blending twang, grit, melody, and Midwest heart into something that feels lived-in and urgent.
Released on December 20, 2025, Panic Tax is a four-song statement that highlights Bowers’ strengths as a songwriter. There’s plenty of countrified rock ’n’ roll here, but it’s informed by a wide musical upbringing — growing up surrounded by mainstream country and metal, later absorbing pop punk, indie, and folk influences. The result is a sound that feels familiar yet personal, grounded but restless.
Whether performing solo or alongside Ethan William Bowers & The Painted Strangers, Bowers delivers powerful vocals and evocative lyrics with conviction front and center. The EP owes as much to early ’90s Americana touchstones like Whiskeytown, Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, and Wilco (A.M.) as it does to modern songwriting greats like Jason Isbell and Freedy Johnston.
The EP opens with “Careful Little Game,” a standout moment that leans heavily into Wilco A.M.-era energy. Gritty guitars, singing pedal steel, and Bowers’ unwavering vocal conviction make it an immediate statement of intent. From there, “Ordinary People” follows with sweeping pedal steel and a confident swagger, tapping into Tom Petty’s Mudcrutch-era spirit while grounding itself in working-class realism.
“All Things End” shifts the mood slightly, pairing a driving rhythm with a melancholy jangle that lingers long after the track fades. Closing things out is the title track “Panic Tax,” which digs its heels in with crunchy guitars and an alt-country stride that would feel right at home on Son Volt’s Trace — a fitting, forceful conclusion to the EP’s emotional arc.
Recorded with Matt Riefler of Dad Castle in Fort Wayne and mastered by Tom Beuchel at Flux Studios in New York, the EP captures a band firing with purpose. Across its four tracks, Panic Tax tackles love, working-class life, resistance to neo-fascism, and mental health struggles, all wrapped in big jangle, bigger twang, and even bigger conviction.
After a long hiatus, Bowers’ return in 2023 and the formation of The Painted Strangers marks a re-emergence that feels confident and fully realized. Panic Tax doesn’t overstay its welcome — it hits hard, says what it needs to say, and leaves a lasting impression.
With “Panic Tax “, Ethan William Bowers delivers grit, heart, and conviction in every note
