You might remember NSW, Australia’s alternafolk, countricana, hard rock jammin’ outfit Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders from our previous coverage. This crew is back with their new album Go By Myself.

Opening up with the gut wrenching bass line, haunting piano, and driving guitars of “Beat Down and Broken“, Billy and the Riders set the mood for an album packed with plenty of blues, hard rockin’ jams, and the voice of a man who has lived, received a tee shirt, and gone back for more.

The guitar tone during the solo of “Beat Down and Broken” is a delight to the ears but an apt example of the soul screaming darkness sprinkled throughout the themes in this record.

Moving into the ear grabbing harmonica intro of “Hard Times“, we have settled in for a ride through the wild with the Rough Riders.

From the more mellow country sounding tunes like “Driving” to the more jammin’ singles like “Seen It All Before“, the Rough Riders take us on a sonic journey through a well blended mix of country, hard rock, blues, and folk.

The title track “Go By Myself” conjures images of traveling alone through the desert. The slide guitar cries, the acoustic guitar drives the train, the rhythm sets the landscape for Billy’s gritty, weathered vocals. This is probably my favorite track on the album.

Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders provide a great soundtrack for those lonely rides through the back roads and into the sunset.

Stories and observations of a rough life but one lived to the fullest, “from a world gone wrong, from a love gone bad”, Billy’s music is great for those who want to add some indie alternative/country/rock to their collections.

Visit the Rough Riders website or grab the album directly from Bandcamp.