Oswald Slain’s debut album Bucky is a compact, confident eight-track record that marries retro rock swagger with modern lyricism, delivering warm nostalgia, sharp humour and a surprisingly broad sonic palette in under half an hour.
Bucky leans into classic Americana and sun-bleached rock while wearing modern indie coats of paint. The album channels echoes of Neil Young and The Band, the soulful buzz of Michael Kiwanuka, and the loose, lived-in feel of 90s washed-out anthems. Driving rhythms and fuzzy guitars underpin songs that switch from country-tinged blues to sleazy rhythm-and-blues, all held together by Fitz’s razor-sharp lyricism and a voice that sounds older than its years without ever feeling derivative. The result is distinctively Oswald Slain rather than a retro pastiche.
Recorded and produced in their DIY home studio with Ryan Rogers, mixed by John Logan and mastered by Jason Mitchell, the record benefits from a rich, lived-in production that favours feel over polish. Many tracks were tracked quickly and mostly live, which gives the drums and vocal takes an intimate, slightly ragged character that suits the album’s themes of surrender, growth and messy honesty. The balance between warmth and bite makes Bucky sound expansive despite its concise running time.
Highlights from the record for this reviewer include, Cranberry Juice is a bold, clean-cut and clever offering, it sets the scene and descends into a squealing guitar passage that announces the band’s appetite for drama. Rhymes like “Cranberry Juice” and “Maverick & Goose” showcase playful intelligence in the songwriting. Happiness Is Overrated is a true toe-tapping, country-tinged blues number that pairs an upbeat groove with lyrics that reward close listening. Firing Line is a stand-out for melody and pacing, this track unfolds like a miniature epic and includes a killer guitar solo; lines like “I am the last cigarette at the end of the night, I am the first cup of coffee in the morning light” linger long after the song ends. The title track Bucky is a slow-burning, heartfelt anthem of escapism that feels like a VHS-worn memory translated into song. It’s the emotional centrepiece and a genuine chill classic. Until Next Time is a satisfying closer that reads as a message to fans and a promise of more to come, leaving the listener buoyed rather than emptied.
Formerly Little Thief, Oswald Slain have used a name change and a home-studio reset to sharpen their identity. Bucky proves the band are not an ephemeral indie curiosity but a group with craft, staying power and a clear sense of direction. Limited-edition orange vinyl, standard black vinyl and digital formats make the release feel like an event worth marking on the calendar.
Bucky is a small album with big heart and even bigger hooks. It’s honest, funny, beautifully produced and frequently surprising. This is a debut that announces a band ready to stick around and evolve, not burn bright and fade.
Buy the vinyl; play it loud.
Tracklisting
1. Cranberry Juice
2. Happiness Is Overrated
3. Firing Line
4. Terrible Neighbour
5. Have You Got What You Came Here For?
6. Bucky
7. Golden Years
8. Until Next Time
Catch the band live on 6th November 2025 at Jam Jar, Bristol (Album Launch)
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Review by Steve Muscutt
