Ron Pope – American Man, American Music

Ron Pope’s new album American Man, American Music is almost like a musical scrapbook of sorts, one that journeys through many experiences in his career and life in general. Sonically, Pope mixes the grit of country music with the softness of his warm vocals. It’s a comforting record full of mischief but also doesn’t shy away from confronting tough emotions of regret and grief.

He opens the album with Nobody’s Gonna Make it Out Alive which is a fantastic start, one that has a lot of focus on storytelling – a precedent for the rest of the tracks ahead. Pope recounts his days out on the road and getting up to no good. Cheeky and infectious, it captures well the early uncertainty in his music career and the risks he took, and he looks back fondly at some of the reckless decisions he made. What follows after is I Gotta Change or I’m Gonna Die. It’s the one song from the entire playlist that’s not based on Pope’s experiences. Ironically, it’s the one that speaks the most to his audience with its message of struggles and hope.

Klonopin Zombies is the most explicit and visceral track of this long play. It begins with the crash of the piano, the melody is heavy on the harmonica, sounding almost like a death march. Beautiful and heartbreaking, it’s a dedication to his grandmother who died a week after his grandfather. Pope’s vocals are raw and gut-wrenching, with lyrical references to medicine and religious imagery.

In the Morning with the Coffee On is another wonderful piece that sets a very domestic and simple setting. Pope laments over daily routines he and his wife have, like having a pot of coffee in the morning. He accompanies this with snippets of other moments in their relationship: the first time they met, their wedding day, and even the uncertainty of the future. He brings it all back to that single pot of coffee in the morning, thinking over time and how even the little things can turn into distant memories.

The second half of his record features two incredible songs. First is Mama Drove a Mustang which explores Pope’s childhood growing up with his mother and then leaving to chase his dreams. There’s regret in his lack of appreciation for her then and he examines this through the lyrics, “And I would find a payphone now / But payphones don’t exist / Thankful for what I still have / And mourning all I’ll miss.”

Finally, he closes the album with The Life in Your Years – a love letter to his family and the people he leaves behind every time he goes on tour. It’s also a nod of goodbye to the people he meets while travelling, wishing them blessings as he moves on to the next city. It’s slow and rhythmic, quite lullaby-like in tune and the delivery of the lyrics, and links back to that first track, Nobody’s Gonna Make it Out Alive, completing Pope’s growth on his journey through life and music.

Mae Trumata
Image: Courtesy of Ron Pope

American Man, American Music is released on 14^th February 2025. For further information or to order the album visit Ron Pope’s website here.

Watch the video for the single The Life In Your Years here: