The idea for a joint country album has been around since Julien Baker and TORRES first shared a stage almost ten years ago. That they took their time with »Send A Prayer My Way« is telling—this collection of twelve songs is heartfelt and considered. In true outlaw fashion, the album opens with a fingerpicked ballad (complete with fiddle and harmonies) that vulnerably explores personal demons. Lines like »Spend your whole life getting clean / Just to wind up in the dirt« speak of relapse, but also of deep empathy and the capacity to keep giving second chances.
»Sugar In The Tank«, the first single, blends banjo and pedal steel with reflections on growing up queer in the American South. »Sylvia«, inspired by Dolly Parton’s songwriting style, turns the story of a foster dog into a tearjerker. Moving between deeply personal confessions and everyday observations, Baker and TORRES reclaim country music—its instruments, traditions, and mythos—for the present. The result is rough-edged, sincere, and full of care.
