Clay Street Unit

Sin & Squalor

Leo33/Firebird Music

“Sin & Squalor” is the debut album from Clay Street Unit. Recorded and produced by Chris Pandolfi of The Infamous Stringdusters, the album showcases the Denver-based sextet’s signature blend of bluegrass, indie folk, and honky-tonk. With members hailing from Alabama, Virginia, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Illinois, the band brings a rich melting pot of regional influences to every track. Eleven songs capture the rollicking energy of Clay Street Unit’s must-see live show, bottled in the studio for the first time. From their beginnings on Clay Street in Denver to stages such as Red Rocks and a sold-out Ogden Theatre, “Sin & Squalor” serves as the band’s origin story—a testament to the beauty, grit, and heart behind their journey.

The lineup includes Sam Walker on guitar and vocals; Scottie Bolin on mandolin and vocals; Jack Cline on banjo; Brad Larrison on pedal steel; Will Poyner on bass; and Brendan Lamb on drums. Lindsay Lou joins Walker for a duet on “Choctaw County.” The album was produced by Pandolfi and recorded by Colin Bricker at Mighty Fine Studios.

The album opens with “Nothing Else Matters,” a heartfelt tune about longing and home. The band sings, “I’ve been gone far too long, I’ve been counting the days, one more night ’til I’m back home, fall back into our old ways. Nothing else matters when there’s nothing left to prove.” The harmonies are warm and earnest, setting the tone for the record.

On “Drive,” the band leans into the road-worn themes that run throughout the album. “Two hundred miles just feels damn too far, and I’m wearing thin like the tires on this car,” Walker sings. The track captures the tension between life on the road and the pull of love waiting at home.

“Let’s Get Stoned” begins as a laid-back, honky-tonk number—“C’mon baby, let’s get stoned and turn those old love records on”—before shifting gears into a faster tempo. The song balances humor and heartache, with vivid imagery of bottom-shelf drinks and fading romance.

“Where Have You Gone?” brings a darker, stormier mood. With lines like “Storm clouds, they’re rolling in… better run for cover before that August rain comes pouring down,” the song paints a vivid picture of emotional and literal hardship. The imagery of washed-out fields and lost love adds weight and depth.

“Choctaw County,” featuring Lindsay Lou, is a standout duet steeped in nostalgia. “In Choctaw County just over the hill, a stone’s throw away from where time stood still,” they sing. The song reflects on love, memory, and the passage of time, with harmonies that linger long after the final note.

On “One Last Time,” Walker confronts betrayal and resolve. “You done me wrong… I won’t let you let me down again.” The emotion is raw but restrained, supported by tight instrumentation.

“Virginia” is a homesick anthem, filled with longing for the Blue Ridge Mountains and Appalachian roots. “Get to thinking ’bout old Virginia… home is on my mind,” Walker sings. The banjo and mandolin interplay evokes the hills and hollers described in the lyrics.

“Left Unsaid” explores the quiet tension of unresolved conflict. “Some things are better left unsaid,” the band sings, capturing the fragile balance between love and pride.

“Freightline Blues” is steeped in classic bluegrass storytelling. “Not a nickel to my name… that railway keeps a callin’,” Walker sings, channeling the timeless theme of trains, escape, and restless souls.

“Rollin’” continues the working-man narrative, with references to fields, tractors, and Appalachian hills. The refrain, “You keep rollin’, rollin’, rollin’ like them Appalachian hills,” gives the track a steady, driving momentum.

The album closes with “Way Over Yonder,” a reflective tune that looks toward reunion and redemption. “Way over yonder, the Alabama she rolls,” Walker sings, closing the record with a sense of weary hope.

“Sin & Squalor” is bluegrass at its finest—rich harmonies, driving instrumentation, and vivid storytelling that captures love, loss, and resilience. Clay Street Unit has arrived with a debut that feels both rooted in tradition and alive with modern energy.

Richard Ludmerer

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