Celebrate the Heart of Country, Americana, and Roots Music!

Drop Us A Line, Y'all

Y'all interested in advertising, partnering up, contributing stories, joining our team, or just got a question? Well, don't be shy, drop us a line!

Follow Us

Review: Ugly Valley Boys and their Refreshing Country Grit

by
  • Arden is a Senior Country Music Journalist for Country Thang Daily, specializing in classic hits and contemporary chart-toppers.
  • Prior to joining Country Thang Daily, Arden wrote for Billboard and People magazine, covering country music legends and emerging artists.
  • Arden holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Tennessee, with a minor in Music Studies.

One can’t be too sure where to find good music. Most of the time, some of the gemstones could be found just right underneath the surface, waiting for the opportune moment to come out.

Ugly Valley Boys
via the Ugly Valley Boys Official Facebook Page

In the depths of the underground country scene of Salt Lake City, Ryan Eastlyn and Braxton Brandenburg are making these gemstones. They are collectively known as the Ugly Valley Boys.

Ugly Valley Boys’ Style

The Ugly Valley Boys comes out as a breath of fresh air in this saturated time for music. Coming out with honest grit and stripped down songs, they truly represent what it means to be country.

Their repertoire shows versatility and an uncanny ability to pen music that speaks to people across any kind of borders that you could think of. The band offers you a different kind of vibe from all the music that’s played on the radio. It’s gritty, honest, and it makes you feel like you’re transported to a bar with a whiskey in hand. Their music is stripped to the bone, forcing you to listen to the lyrics and melody – and you should listen to them.

The band’s style can be drawn to having a Johnny Cash moment in the present time. Lead singer Eastlyn isn’t shy to show off the low wholeness of his voice that adds to the overall grit of their vibe. While Brandenburg’s skills on the upright bass aren’t to be skimmed either. His cool steady thumping ties the whole show together.

Their Albums

What’s impressive for this band is the reaction that they have received when they released their debut album Double Down. The self-recorded and self-released album became one of the cult favorites, and it was instantly the reason why a lot of people fell in love with them

Check out one of their songs!

The follow-up had been a long time coming with Iron Mine.

Ugly Valley Boys
via the Ugly Valley Boys Official Facebook Page

Released in 2018, the album concentrates much on the present, instead of skimming fond memories about the past. It feels a little darker, more reflective about what’s about to come. It retains its honest grit though, and I can’t wait to see what this band comes out with.

Trending

Latest Stories

Jon Pardi, wife Summer, and their two daughters together, before the couple's divorce announcement.

Jon Pardi and His Wife, Summer, Are Divorcing After Nearly Six Years and Two Daughters Together

One of country music’s most grounded couples is calling it quits. Jon Pardi and his wife, Summer, announced their divorce, confirming they’ve decided to part ways after nearly six years ...

Clint Black on stage, before the hospitalization that forced him to cancel his July 3 show.

Clint Black Canceled His July 3 Concert After Being Hospitalized, but He’s Expected to Fully Recover

The good news comes first. Clint Black is going to be just fine. The country icon was forced to cancel his July 3 appearance at Pearl River Resort Casino in ...

An emotional Rhett Akins on the Opry stage, finally getting his membership invitation.

Rhett Akins Finally Got His Grand Ole Opry Invitation After 30 Years and Could Barely Find the Words

A man who has written over 30 No. 1 hits for a living stood on the Grand Ole Opry stage Saturday night and couldn’t think of a single word to ...

Ella Langley performing live, marking "Choosin' Texas" returning to No. 1 for an 11th week and breaking a chart record that stood since 1977.

Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” Is Back at No. 1 for an 11th Week and Broke a Record That Stood Since 1977

They kept knocking her off, and she kept coming back. Drake bumped her. Ariana Grande bumped her. Taylor Swift bumped her. And every single time, “Choosin’ Texas” climbed right back ...

Shania Twain commanding the Wembley stage in the daring look that divided fans.

Shania Twain Wore a Bold Outfit at Wembley and Fans Can’t Agree If It Was Too Much or Perfect

Shania Twain walked onto the Wembley Stadium stage in front of 90,000 people wearing a see-through black lace dress with a white bra and matching shorts underneath, and the internet ...

Miranda Lambert performing "The House That Built Me," the tearjerker that topped the charts back in 2010.

Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” Hit No. 1 Sixteen Years Ago and It Still Wrecks People

Sixteen years ago, a song that was never supposed to be Miranda Lambert’s gave her the first No. 1 of her career. And every Father’s Day, every homecoming, every time ...

A composite image of Ella Langley and Alan Jackson, tied to her emotional video tribute at his final show.

Ella Langley’s Video Tribute to Alan Jackson at His Farewell Concert Said What Every Young Artist Feels

Every major name in country music showed up to say goodbye to Alan Jackson at Nissan Stadium. But one of the most genuine tributes came from someone who wasn’t even ...

12:00 AMClaude responded: Alan Jackson and George Strait performing together at Alan's final concert, where Strait made a rare appearance and brought his old friend a drink.Alan Jackson and George Strait performing together at Alan's final concert, where Strait made a rare appearance and brought his old friend a drink.

George Strait Made a Rare Appearance at Alan Jackson’s Final Concert and Brought Him a Drink

George Strait doesn’t show up for just anybody. But when Alan Jackson calls last round, the King of Country shows up with a drink in his hand. Strait strolled onto ...

Alan Jackson and Taylor Swift together, after her tribute video got a divided reaction at his Nashville farewell show.

Taylor Swift Got Booed When Her Tribute Video Played at Alan Jackson’s Farewell Concert

It was supposed to be a tribute. The crowd had other plans. Right before Alan Jackson took the stage at his farewell concert at Nissan Stadium on June 27, Grand ...

10:20 PMClaude responded: Alan Jackson on stage during his final concert, taking a bow as he officially steps into retirement after decades in country music.Alan Jackson on stage during his final concert, taking a bow as he officially steps into retirement after decades in country music.

Alan Jackson Played His Final Concert at Nissan Stadium, and Even a Storm Couldn’t Stop Him

The sky opened up over Nashville on Saturday night. Lightning cracked across the horizon, and 50,000 people were told to leave their seats. For about 30 minutes, Alan Jackson’s final ...

Leave a Comment

For security, use of Google's reCAPTCHA service is required which is subject to the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.