Too Fine Records

****1/2

In the last few years, Admiral Radio has carved its own musical path, primarily through their explosive live performances and lyrical song-styling. Comprising husband-and-wife couple Coty Hoover and Becca Smith, the duo is named after their old 1941 wooden radio set. HEIRLOOM, their sixth album, is a remarkable collection of eleven new songs (plus one unique cover of Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark), that are sometimes playful, sometimes vulnerable, occasionally in your face—and always sincere and deeply felt. The couple’s musical influences are so diverse that the sounds created when they come together are truly unique. Deeply rooted in Southern Carolina Appalachia, as musicians they excel, as writers they push so many different emotional buttons. Brimming with poetry, intelligence, heartfelt optimism and human experience, listeners will soon become entranced by Admiral Radio’s musical gifts that are a perfect vehicle for conveying their messages of resilience and hope.

Entwining their male/female voices in harmony, then answering like they finish each other’s sentences, they don’t just sing foreboding ballads, they’re like eerie folk-shake. They alternately evince the backroads grit of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings with the captivating mountain harmonies of Joey + Rory with a direct pathway back to the Carter Family, sounding like a musical happening outside of time. With their skilled group of local session players, they have created a well-rounded album, as exemplified by their re-imagining of the Bruce Springsteen classic Dancing In The Dark, one of the album’s highlights. Their rendition draws out the soul in both of their voices, recognising the grittiness of the original, while bringing out the deep meaning of the lyrics, that so many listeners have missed, as they sung along to Brucey’s catchy chorus. 

Despite at times the simplicity of the instrumentation, they can build lush melodies that feel pulled from classic pop, but routed through traditional folk and country. There’s not a single skippable song here, but my favourites, if you’re looking for a place to dive in, are Kind To Myself and Life Is A Puzzle. With Kind To Myself, they create a beautiful folk-country song with deep psychological implications, offering heartfelt advice to oneself that can also be universal. Amid all the soulful explorations, they can turn a phrase with a sly wink like the best of them. Nowhere is that more evident than on the whimsical Life Is A Puzzle, which hopefully should bring a beaming knowing smile.

Adept at spinning yarns that ring true, they consistently pen songs of frank honesty with a touch of darkness. Coal Mining Town explores their Appalachian rural landscape and lifestyle through the story of a great-grandfather buried in a mining disaster. Conjuring up eerie, bleak imagery, Becca’s voice is strong and a little mournful—you can feel her ache seep through the speakers as you listen—the grounded rhythm section shuffles along gently, contrasting effectively with a haunting fiddle and the etheric drift of the piece, speaking truth and touching the soul. Working the fields doing hard labour as a young boy; joining the army in his teens to fight overseas; finding empathy and humanity in everyone he meets, no matter where he goes; and finding a lifetime of wisdom to impart, the epic Sidewalk Preacher has the feel of a conversation with a relative or friend, with an astonishing impact.

Listeners are invited to hear HEIRLOOM’s impressions in full lucidity; a rich and beautifully coherent album. Admiral Radio’s music is a feeling, something you need to evoke. It’s a testament to their songwriting prowess that they continue to captivate with a refreshing approach after more than a decade of music-making.

https://www.admiralradiomusic.com

August 2026