Evan Felker Teams with Carrie Rodriguez for “Whiskey In Your Water”
There is a reason the indefinite hiatus of the vaunted Turnpike Troubadours hit fans so hard, almost like losing a relative. The way you leaned on the band’s music to make it through hard times, and celebrate the good ones, it’s tough to fathom a world without the voice and songs of Evan Felker backed by the boys from Oklahoma adding color to important moments in your life. The fact they were at the height of their creative powers when they went under the mothballs is especially difficult to stomach.
That is why any morsel of new music feels like such a blessing and relief, no matter what the circumstances. Some fans have just been hanging on Facebook and Twitter over the last few months, hitting their refresh buttons, waiting on any word, any sign of a Turnpike Troubadours revival. And though this new song from Evan Felker was written and recorded in April of 2019 before the hiatus was in full force, and it doesn’t include the Turnpike Troubadours behind him, it feels so good to hear that voice again, no matter the situation, and no matter what is being sung.
Lucky for us though, “Whiskey in Your Water” finds Evan Felker in top writing and singing form, picking right up where he left off, which is setting human emotions often too tough to articulate in words, to near perfect music and rhyme. Even more fulfilling, “Whiskey In Your Water” feels patently relevant to the current situation surrounding Felker. According to producer Bruce Robison, Evan was tweaking the words to the song right up to when they hit “record,” and when the wheels on the Turnpike bus were already starting to wobble.
“Never know just what you’re thinkin’, when you look at me that way. Is there whiskey in your water?” Evan sings, which could be interpreted numerous ways from Evan Felker’s point-of-view. Felker even makes reference to Idaho as a place where “people still love us for our faults” when some rumors about Evan’s whereabouts after the hiatus have connected him to the Potato state.
Though it would have been great to hear the Turnpike Troubadours backing Felker on this song, The Next Waltz Band on this track does more than ample justice, and singer and fiddle player Carrie Rodriguez really adds that special something to make this song a unique and enjoyable entry into the Evan Felker canon. Bruce Robison set up a music making operation on his property in Lockhart, TX just south of Austin, and releases the results under “The Next Waltz” brand to put a boost behind those unheralded artists from the Austin area that shows like Austin City Limits used to be in the care of. Carrie Rodriquez is one of those career Austinites who deserves more attention that what she receives.
Nothing will ever replace the magic that the Turnpike Troubadours sow in the studio and on stage. That is why there is such heartbreak surrounding the uncertainty of the band’s future. But “Whiskey In You Water” really feels both familiar and fresh, and incredibly welcome, even if tinged with the trepidation that we may not hear from Evan Felker or the Turnpike Troubadours again for a good while.
Will
October 29, 2019 @ 11:36 am
?/10?
Trigger
October 29, 2019 @ 11:40 am
I feels weird to grade a standalone single like this. But I just added one.
Will
October 29, 2019 @ 12:00 pm
Thanks king
scott
October 29, 2019 @ 12:00 pm
Mighty fine song. Evan sounds good with Carrie. How about some more?
ScottG
October 29, 2019 @ 12:21 pm
Good song. Good musicians. Evan. Carrie. Recorded live to tape.
Go figure, it sounds great.
You and Your White Claw
October 29, 2019 @ 12:47 pm
So good! Hope it’s a turning point for Evan. He’s too talented to go to waste.
JM
October 29, 2019 @ 1:10 pm
Excellent news all around. 9/10 for me.
Stephanie
October 29, 2019 @ 1:29 pm
I don’t even have words to describe how much I mourn the loss of this band. Glad to have a new Felker song though. Maybe an unpopular opinion , but I don’t care a whole lot for the duet aspect. I’m not a huge fan of duets where they both just sing the same lines right on top of each other for most of the song.
Like it though regardless! I’m still hanging desperately on to hope that we hear some news about Turnpike one of these days.
ScottG
October 29, 2019 @ 2:34 pm
This might sound overly dramatic, but fuck it. To me it’s kinda like there’s something more than either just his well being, or more great music, riding on this one. We need the good guy to win this time…
Benny Lee
October 29, 2019 @ 2:02 pm
Man, this brings the goosebumps just like any Turnpike song.
Evan is a master songwriter.
His cutting room floor would be a treasure trove for most.
CountryKnight
October 29, 2019 @ 2:12 pm
Felker is covering Tyler Farr?!!
JT
October 29, 2019 @ 2:21 pm
Great writing as always, but he will always sound better with the Troubadours behind him. I actually don’t think either singer sound great here
Kara O'Neal
October 29, 2019 @ 2:48 pm
Beautiful song. Mighty glad to hear his voice.
Normal Street
October 29, 2019 @ 3:16 pm
I had a feeling this would be good and it sure is! What the article says about the band’s music being of help in hard times is so true. There was a time when I found it difficult to go to live music shows for a while, and it’s a long story but ultimately it was Turnpike Troubadours that got me to a place where I could go and enjoy live music once again. For that I will be forever thankful and grateful to Evan and the other members of the band.
I know I wrote,something similar in the other article on this project, but regardless of what happens in the future, he has already done so much for us all to appreciate and enjoy. As much as I would like more, further new music just isn’t worth it if it comes at the expense of his health. Here’s hoping Evan makes a good recovery and that he can get to a place where he is happy and healthy.
Conrad Fisher
October 29, 2019 @ 4:20 pm
There is a bro-country song with the hook “whiskey in my water.” I don’t care enough to remember who sang it. I just hope nobody gets sued. I do know that this is the better of the two.
Corncaster
October 29, 2019 @ 4:30 pm
Sounds like Son Volt on Adderall. And that’s a good thing. Sincere best wishes for Felker to get healthy and do more good work. What else is there, Felker?
Sana Mello
October 29, 2019 @ 4:40 pm
They sound great. Thank you Bruce Robison..
albert
October 29, 2019 @ 10:22 pm
unpopular opinion, but man ….this just bores me to tears. non-de-script musically , unremarkable vocals , lacking in dynamics , emotion and character ….. so generic , lifeless and uninspired …..any two people on a karaoke night anywhere could sing this .
Conrad Fisher
October 30, 2019 @ 7:41 am
I know what you mean, but “I don’t know what you’re thinking when you look at me that way/Is there whiskey on your water or do I make your day?” Is darn good poetry.
Melissa W
October 30, 2019 @ 9:19 am
I don’t care for the production or perhaps more specifically the sound quality. I feel like I struggle to hear their voices and the lyrics clearly at times. They are drowned out for me by the instruments. They also seem to drown each other out at times when singing at the same time.
Listening to this put me in a Turnpike mood tho.. I will be listening to them on my way home from work!
albert
October 30, 2019 @ 3:39 pm
yes…melissa . it sounds like a demo recorded to pitch to someone to ‘polish up’ production-wise and sing CLEARLY . nothing frustrates me more than having to struggle to hear a lyric ( eric church , sturgil , many others , of course ) ..particularly when there is no reason to have to do that . get a professional, experienced and knowledgeable song-friendly producer in there to make sure none of that happens . mix it preoperly , master it properly ….use the technology if you have to …..GET THE LYRIC OUT FRONT !
for me this song lacks more than just clear vocals . it’s searching for a melody where there isn’t one to be found. its a poem right now .
Stephanie
October 30, 2019 @ 1:43 pm
I love it, but I can honestly say my opinion might have been different if this were just a part of a new turnpike album or something. I think at this point anything released from Evan Felker is going to just feel too precious for me to be objective lol.
The Original WTF Guy
October 30, 2019 @ 1:25 pm
Any idea when this was done? Is this post-hiatus or something that has been laying around for a few years?
Trigger
October 30, 2019 @ 1:42 pm
The song was recorded in April before the official hiatus. I tried to lay out the timeline in the review as best I could.
The Original WTF Guy
October 30, 2019 @ 2:28 pm
Thanks. I just overlooked that.
Would have loved to have heard this was done in Sept as it would have provided some hope. I learned about this band here and will be forever grateful.
Can’t wait to hear new music from them/him.
Empty Bottle Once Again
October 30, 2019 @ 1:40 pm
As much as I want to love this, the recording sounds flat adn unrehearsed. I’m certainly glad to have something new from Evan, but I just wish I was of a higher quality.
Daniele
October 31, 2019 @ 3:11 am
I love the next waltz and Bruce Robison!! Beautiful Lie is an AOTY contender for sure….