Sadler Vaden - Dad Rock (2024) Hi-Res

Acclaimed solo artist. Songwriter. Grammy-winning member of Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Producer. A professional musician since the age of 18, Sadler Vaden has spent the better part of two decades on stage, on the road, and in the recording studio, lending his unique rock & roll approach to highly-revered bands.

In what may be the first Father’s Day-themed album yet – the surprise set timed to come out at the start of Father’s Day weekend – Sadler Vaden’s latest solo album is a love note to both classic rock and being a dad.

This eight-song set is Vaden’s first solo album since becoming a father (he and his wife now have two sons). Carrying the theme further, he’s joined on the record by several other fathers, including Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), Elliot Easton (The Cars), and Julian Dorio (The Whigs, Eagles of Death Metal).

The album’s opening track, “Townsend’s Theme,” is an instrumental named after his first child, his four-year-old son. From that point on, it’s a remarkably fun, almost nostalgic trek into classic rock territory. “Dove” is a slow boil that eventually erupts into a crash of cymbals, drums, and glorious power chords, while “The New You” is a memorable acoustic jam reminiscent of Tom Petty’s solo efforts. The songs here are a perfect bridge from his work in Jason Isbell’s band The 400 Unit and his previous gig as a member of Drivin N Cryin.

Elsewhere, “Staying Alive” and “The Rescuer” have a strong 1970s vibe, while ‘I’ll Always Come Back” is a slightly mellower take on classic rock. The album closes on “Two Balloons,” a solid pop track with a stellar guitar line snaking throughout.

“It’s been 4 years since my last album, and my wife and I have had two beautiful boys since then, which has really shifted my perspective in life and in how I write songs,” Vaden says. “These are mostly new songs but some older unreleased songs that I have a totally new connection with after becoming a father…I feel like we are experiencing a new era of Dad where you see many men really stepping up to the plate and being there for their kids and their wife more, cooking more, doing more duties around the house. It’s actually cool to be a good dad these days and I hope that’s a trend that continues.”

Given his new role as father of two, his job in Isbell’s band – which always seems to be on the road – and his work as a producer (among others, he produced and co-wrote on Morgan Wade’s last two records, Reckless and Psychopath), it’s no wonder it’s taken so long to finally get around to his own solo album. But between diaper changes and making bottles, Vaden was able to sacrifice two days in the studio to work on these songs. All the rest of the work was done remotely and through his own home studio.

All original songs written by Vaden (“Dove” written with Joel Hamilton. “Staying Alive” written by The Whigs). Musicians on the album include Vaden (vocals, guitars, keys), Fred Eltringham (drums), Julian Dorio (drums), Timothy Deaux (bass), Dominic Davis (bass), Elliot Easton (lead, 12-string and acoustic guitars), Benmont Tench (piano, organ), Art Edmaiston (tenor saxophone), Kirk Smothers (baritone saxophone) and Marc Franklin (trumpet, horn arrangement).