ALBUM REVIEW: Lukas Nelson Throws a Party on ‘Sticks and Stones’

Lukas Nelson has decided to give the people what they want. In the wake of the pandemic, as live music trickled back, he noticed his fans were itching to hear the kind of upbeat, good-time tunes they could sing along and slosh their beers to, put their differences aside, and connect over a simple desire to let loose. The trouble was, the record that had brought him out on tour, 2021’s A Few Stars Apart, wasn’t exactly the right material, with its introspective, soul-searching croons. So, while on the road, Nelson started writing what would become Sticks and Stones, his latest and eighth studio album. Designed to be, as Nelson puts it, “the perfect setlist,” its tracks are full of debaucheries, drunken mistakes, unforgettable all-nighters, fast living, plenty of hilarity, and the occasional lesson learned amid it all.

Taking the producing helm himself, Nelson steers Sticks and Stones in the twangiest, most countrified direction yet. These songs are tried-and-true boot stompers, a particular style that feels like Nelson’s sweet spot. They’re also a showcase for some of his most masterful storytelling. Take a tune like “Wrong House,” a romper that finds him getting home after a wild trip with psychedelics, only to find out the home he’s in belongs to someone else. “Wait a second, who is that?” he sings, “Wrong house, wrong home / May I kindly use the phone?” Or “More Than Friends,” a duet with Lainey Wilson wherein the two justify a good old no-strings-attached hookup. Or “Alcohallelujah,” an almost gospel-level ode to the healing powers of a getting a little buzz on until the hangover sets in, and a perfect vehicle for Nelson’s vocal chops.

What is most clear is how much of a blast Nelson and his band Promise of the Real are having recording Sticks and Stones. Even as the second half of the album brings things back down to earth, there is undeniable levity to be found in songs like “Icarus” and “The View.” Though Nelson’s hard-partying days may largely be behind him, he can still look back at it all, have a good belly laugh, and appreciate that those experiences have gotten him to where he is today.

Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real’s Sticks and Stones is out July 14 via 6ACE and Thirty Tigers.