A shot of electricity into the bloodstream.”

Wide Open Country

Incorporating aspects of Americana, outlaw country and classic rock 'n' roll,...the band tak[es] inspiration from the past while carving out a space for themselves in our own turbulent times.”

— The Southern Sounding

The Stubborn Lovers

The best Americana songs are those that are subtly familiar, with melody lines and lyrical nods that hint at the deep roots bringing forth strange new flowers. On their latest album Come a Reckoning, The Stubborn Lovers demonstrate an intimate familiarity with the craggy contours of country music history, while managing to avoid the pitfalls of nostalgia or revivalism. The band's evocative lyrics are awash in both spirituality and sensuality, literate without feeling showy. Their music may be anchored in train beats and twang but is never beholden to tradition, as the group melds pop songcraft, E Street swagger, the gutsy bravado of heartland rock, and air-tight vocal harmonies, complementing plenty of big choruses and undeniable hooks. 

From the rollicking kiss-off anthem “You Take Tacoma, I’ll Take My Chances”, to the loping waltz of “Gramercy,” with its Clemons-esque saxophone and orchestral touches, to the Tanya Tucker-meets-Allman Brothers Southern rock of “Jamestown Highway/Get on Board”, Come a Reckoning is a tour de force, making stylistic jumps with seeming ease. Throughout these sonic shifts, there's never a jarring moment — there's an undeniable alt-country cohesion across these nine tracks. It's a triumph of songwriting, musicianship, heart, and grit. 

Portland, Oregon is home for the band, the core of which is bassist and songwriter Jenny Taylor, a New Jersey native whose love of Asbury Park’s finest musical export (The Boss, if you had to ask) is unabashed and shows in her attention to detail and anthemic sensibilities; singer/guitarist Mandy Allan, whose Tennessee roots ground the band in an authentic Southern style; and drummer Michael “Pearl” Nelson, a Pacific Northwest lifer with a storied history in jazz and rock. The group's synergy is real, with Taylor’s love of language and natural musicality filtered through Allan's old-school vocal prowess, anchored by the dynamism and experience of Nelson. 

"We are an Americana band," Taylor notes of the group's genre leanings. "I’ve chosen to write in that genre because it’s where I feel the best contemporary songwriters are working, but I don’t let it limit me. I feel like I pushed my bandmates a bit with some of the newer songs, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how they rose to the challenge...I hope that we continue to push ourselves with each record we make." 

"We're not your waltzing kind of country," Nelson notes with a wry grin. "We're the shit that's stuck to the bottom of your shoes." 

That's not a put-down; rather, it's an earned badge of honor for a band that has spent years fully committed to honing their craft and surviving — thriving, even — amidst the trials, tribulations, and personal sacrifices that naturally present themselves in such a pursuit. The group has toured extensively up and down the West Coast, playing everything from dive bars to festivals and sharing the stage with Lydia Loveless, Lindi Ortega, Brandy Clark, and Robert Earl Keen. They've paid their dues and put in the miles, and Come a Reckoning is the culmination of the band finding its footing over the years. 

"It's one thing to learn the songs and play the music," Allan says. "I feel like with this album, the songs finally lived in me — they became a part of me." That authentic, lived-in feeling is a hallmark of the band's latest output, and not something the group takes for granted. Blood is thicker than water, and the working level of camaraderie the band operates at is about as close to a familial unit as one can get without being the real thing. 

"We've developed a really solid relationship as musicians," Taylor continues. "I know and trust both of these musicians so much. I know I can bring Mandy anything, I can bring Pearl anything, and they're going to slay it. It frees me up as a writer, so I don't feel like I'm having to write for any specific person or genre." 

Come a Reckoning is a record that seamlessly bridges the gap between alt-country punkishness and razor-sharp songcraft. With it, The Stubborn Lovers have crafted an album that is both timeless and of its moment; one that will satisfy longtime fans while winning over plenty of new ones in the process. It’s the sound of a band playing on their own terms at the height of their powers, not beholden to any particular genre stamps or tropes — and it's a sure sign of even better things to come down the road.

Photos (click to download hi-res images)

L-R: Mandy, Jenny, Pearl - Photo by Chelsea Donoho

L-R: Pearl, Mandy, Jenny - Photo by Chelsea Donoho

L-R: Pearl, Mandy, Jenny - Photo by Chelsea Donoho

Sample Tracks

Tour Dates

Previous events

Date Event Location
The Stubborn Lovers Trout Lake Hall, Trout Lake, Washington Trout Lake Hall, Trout Lake, Washington
Pulp Western, The Stubborn Lovers, Songwriters in the Round w/ Rose Gerber, Richard Gans & Mac Cornish Mississippi Studios, Portland, Oregon Mississippi Studios, Portland, Oregon
Little Hexes / The Stubborn Lovers / Annie Vergnetti World Famous Kenton Club, Portland, Oregon World Famous Kenton Club, Portland, Oregon
The Stubborn Lovers Edgefield Loading Dock, Troutdale, Oregon Edgefield Loading Dock, Troutdale, Oregon
The Sin City Ramblers / The Stubborn Lovers / Freddy Trujillo Lollipop Shoppe, Portland, Oregon Lollipop Shoppe, Portland, Oregon
The Stubborn Lovers / dKOTA LaurelThirst Public House, Portland, Oregon LaurelThirst Public House, Portland, Oregon
The Stubborn Lovers with Sin City Ramblers White Eagle Saloon, Portland, Oregon White Eagle Saloon, Portland, Oregon
The Stubborn Lovers Album Release Show Polaris Hall, Portland, Oregon Polaris Hall, Portland, Oregon
The Stubborn Lovers with Sin City Ramblers and The Prairie Benders The Fixin' To, Portland The Fixin' To, Portland
SmithField, The Stubborn Lovers White Eagle Saloon, Portland, Oregon White Eagle Saloon, Portland, Oregon
The Stubborn Lovers and The Misbehavers Alberta St. Pub, Portland, OR Alberta St. Pub, Portland, OR
Legendary Shack Shakers, The Stubborn Lovers, Seven Mile Lane Dante's, Portland, Oregon Dante's, Portland, Oregon
The Boss's 70th Birthday Show White Eagle Saloon, Portland, Oregon White Eagle Saloon, Portland, Oregon
Pickin' on Sundays with The Stubborn Lovers Doug Fir Lounge, Portland Doug Fir Lounge, Portland
Music on the Patio Alberta St. Pub, Portland, OR Alberta St. Pub, Portland, OR
The Stubborn Lovers, Anna Lynch, Carson McHone Alberta St. Pub, Portland, OR Alberta St. Pub, Portland, OR
The Stubborn Lovers, Wilkinson Blades, Nick Arneson Dante's, Portland, Oregon Dante's, Portland, Oregon
The Stubborn Lovers, Margo Cilker, Caitlin Jemma The Liquor Store, Portland, Oregon The Liquor Store, Portland, Oregon
Gabby Holt, The Stubborn Lovers, Kool Stuff Katie The Secret Society, Portland, Oregon The Secret Society, Portland, Oregon
The Crying Shame, The Stubborn Lovers, Whiskey Field Conor Byrne Pub, Seattle, Washington Conor Byrne Pub, Seattle, Washington