Pete Berwick released his sixth studio album this year, Island (2019), that showcases his signature sound. Berwick has been performing and releasing music for a long time, including 2007’s Ain’t No Train Out of Nashville. Often labeled as an Americana or alt-country artist, Pete Berwick creates music that reflects punk, rock, and country influences. And in is spare time, he also has written novels and appeared on America’s Got Talent as a stand-up comic, Tony Baloni.
But we are here to talk about the music. And Island delivers a group of high-quality country-influenced rock songs. Below is the title track, “Island.”
Berwick achieved some success in Chicago as the frontman for the cow-punk band Pete Berwick and Interstate in the 1980s. Later, he headed the country-rock band Nashville Underground in Nashville. But after some success with acting and too much frustration with the music business, he left music behind in 1995, only to eventually return to it in 2001.
Now, with several albums since then, Berwick showcases his country-punk-rock influences on Island. Another one of my favorite tracks on the album is “Anyway.”
Berwick’s voice is in fine form after all these years, and his backing band on the album, The Mugshot Saints, sounds great. Berwick, who wrote all of the songs on Island, has never achieved the level of success he deserves. But hopefully he will add to his long-time hardcore fans with the new album.
Island is available on Bandcamp, Amazon, and other places where you get your music.
What is your favorite song on Island? Leave your two cents in the comments.
