After Reno – After Reno

After Reno – After Reno – EP Review

There is definitely something special happening here.

I really like this combination of talents when it comes right down to it.  When you’re in a two-piece band, it becomes pretty damn imperative that both of those pieces can hold their own, and you can check that box for a win when it comes to the music of After Reno.  As I sat here this week and queued up their three-song self-titled EP and “Backlight” began to slide outta my speakers, I felt like I was nothing less than impressed by what I was hearing from this duo.  What I liked perhaps even more, was that for as good as both Phil and Chris of After Reno are, it was the sum of what they were creating between them and the balance of their strengths that seemed even more impressive.  They play as one; and that kind of audible unity can quite often be what leads a band of two to their longevity & success.

So sure…I can tell you that in the case of a song like “Backlight,” you might find yourself completely captivated by the intensity you’ll find in Phil’s voice – this is a man that sings with real purpose and intention in every word, and I’m absolutely LOVING it.  I also love the fact that the tone of his voice is equally awesome…purpose & intention are amazing qualities to sing with, but they’d be all for naught without sounding good too, right?  Well…Phil sounds freakin’ fantastic, and that’s even better.  Then you start to notice the other things that make a song like “Backlight” as compelling to listen to as it is…things like the fluidity of the acoustic guitar…the boom of slight percussion that sounds like a storm rising off in the distance…the smart use of keyboards at pivotal points to broaden the melody of the music…the complementary way that Chris’ voice works so well in the support role of backing up Phil’s lead…the outstanding lyricism – I mean, you get it, the list goes on and on when it comes to how much this duo is getting right here.  All that great stuff in fact, and yet the best part of “Backlight” might come down to the mood & demeanor of this song…the ability of After Reno to pull you right outta your world and into theirs as they play, through a magnificent display of intensity and subtlety combined.  “Backlight” is a welcome reminder that when it’s done right, Americana can be one of the most gripping genres you’ll ever have the good fortune of listening to…and dear readers, dear friends, this is definitely that.  I sat here basically locked in place & mesmerized as I listened to “Backlight” over and over again…it’s such a wonderful first impression of After Reno’s music if you haven’t heard it before…this song is pure genius.

It became one of those situations where I was so fixated on the opening cut in this set of three tunes, that I was practically convinced that the rest to follow would have to pale a bit by comparison.  When I eventually made my way to the second track, “Through The Heat Of The Morning,” and through the rest of the EP, I was more than pleased with what I found.  Do I think that “Through The Heat Of The Morning” is as strong as “Backlight” is?  In many ways, yes.  If you’re asking me if I personally like this second track as much as I like the first…I’d probably still be leaning towards “Backlight” – but don’t mistake that for feeling like After Reno dropped the ball somewhere, because they haven’t.  That’s why I say “Through The Heat Of The Morning” really is just as strong as “Backlight” is, because their execution is so staggeringly good.  Phil and Chris have put their very best into this material, and as a result of their unwavering focus & commitment in their performances, they’ve given every one of these songs a legitimate chance of becoming your favorite from the set.  You know, it’s funny – one of the first things I actually read about After Reno was they’d remastered a couple tracks they’d put out in 2024 for this EP in 2025.  Usually, when you’re talkin’ about a remastering situation, you’re dusting off songs from the last century to polish them up for today – you’re rarely going to find songs remastered within a year’s time.  That being said, when you know there’s more to your material, and you’re looking to bring that out, take a page out of After Reno’s book and keep going!  As the old saying goes, a good song is never finished, only abandoned, right?  I’ve listened to the previous versions of both “Backlight” and “Through The Heat Of The Morning,” and while I’d be the first to tell you that the changes they made to the production are slight, subtle, and would probably fly over most people’s heads unless they were really able to sit down & listen to both side-by-side – I can also tell you firsthand from listening that the versions they’ve got on their EP put their best foot forward with the extra professionalism in the final product.  I continue to absolutely LOVE Phil’s lead vocals and the lyricism of After Reno on “Through The Heat Of The Night,” and I’d probably tell ya that Phil’s harmonica was even a more natural fit on this second track than it was on the first.  I felt like the finale of “Through The Heat Of The Night” was brilliant…it’s understated without a doubt, but basically After Reno will reveal a massive hook that they could have easily leaned on or exploited much more than they did throughout this song.  Instead, they opt for keeping the organic nature of the flow of their song intact by keeping things unforced.  The integrity of their songwriting and approach to making music together is really what you’re hearing the most, even if you don’t realize it…they’re not needlessly overcomplicating anything, and as a result, they’ve found a way to give their songs everything they need without an ounce more.  A song like “Through The Heat Of The Night” is remarkably lean, and I really think they should be praised for that – it’s exactly what has us all listening right from the edge of our seats.  To Americana music!  Of all things!  Honestly, that’s how I know how rare and special After Reno is…because it’s THAT rare for me to be THIS interested in the Americana genre, but this duo is putting on a masterclass of how to do it the right way.  The final transition they make as they shift into the last minute of this song takes “Through The Heat Of The Night” from good to great – I love what they do with their vocals, melody, and harmonies at the end.  The ingredients might seem simple, but the best chefs would out there would tell you that’s all they include in the tastiest meals you’ve ever eaten…it’s the care that’s put into the recipe that matters.

Yeah…you know something folks?  I think I’m willing to go as far as to say this is one of my favorite records of the year at this point in 2025.  I know, I know…I’m probably as blown away by that as you are – I looked at the simple & straightforward artwork that came along with this self-titled EP and knew that they’d described their music as Americana…so believe me, before I pushed play, I wasn’t all that sure I was even going to find something I liked, let alone LOVE this set of three songs like I do.  Major credit to both Phil and Chris…these performances are so full of conviction and commitment that you can’t help but be convinced of their excellence when you’re listening to them sing & play.  There’s technically more involved in their last track “Let The River Run,” which is the newest of the three songs in the set – but once again, even though there’s additional elements like cello and bass having more of a presence, they still haven’t even come close to overstuffing their material with anything it doesn’t need.  Chris has a real highlight for his guitar work on “Let The River Run,” as he gets a bit more time to shine in the spotlight of this particular tune, and Phil sounds as impressive as ever as he sings this song in the lead.  I’d reckon that “Let The River Run” is largely about not getting to overwhelmed with life, and a reminder that this whole experience is best when it just comes at ya, naturally.  “Let The River Run” is about how the many twists and turns of life can attempt to throw us off track, but if we can just find our way to a point of acceptance, we start to flow along with that river like we’re truly symbiotic…because we are.  That’s my theory anyhow…I’m never going to pretend that I know what’s in a songwriter’s head when it comes to the meaning of any given tune out there, and we all create our own individual meanings in what we hear anyway…but yeah…that’s how I’m hearing the wisdom within “Let The River Run.”  I guess the real bottom line is that, once again, their songwriting proves to be exceptionally thought-provoking, and their music remains something you can truly feel in the most remarkably sensory ways.  I think that choosing between your favorites on the After Reno EP is completely like splitting the finest of hairs – this whole set is utterly brilliant, and reveals a duo that is so incredibly far ahead of the game when you consider the short time they’ve been around for.  They’ve been putting out music since 2024 – that’s how new they still are to the scene – but when you listen to this record, you realize just how far they can go with their music & how much potential they have.  After Reno is likely only scratching the surface of how good they’ll go on to become…but if this is how good they already sound now, you have to marvel at where they could end up.  I’ve got no notes here – all After Reno needs to do is stay the course and do things exactly as they’re doing them now…they’ve got all the right instincts, talent, and ideas to take their band as far as they wanna go with it and keep us captivated with their music every step of the way.

Find out more about After Reno from their official page at Instagram here:  https://www.instagram.com/afterrenomusic

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