Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts - Troubled Paradise EP (2025) Hi-Res

Tuk Smith should have been the man to save rock ‘n’ roll — both with his old band, the criminally underrated Biters, and now with his solo project, The Restless Hearts.

Last year, his album would have walked away with MV’s Album of the Year if we did them, and this new four-track release just strengthens the case that Tuk Smith is one of the best rock songwriters alive.

The title track, is a masterclass in power chords and melody. It’s perfectly American, full of drive and heart, the kind of tune that could have rolled straight out of a muscle car radio somewhere on the open road. Tuk’s gift for a chorus remains unmatched, and that instinctive knack for marrying grit with gloss runs right through the release.

He’s still got that wild spirit — the one that made Biters feel dangerous and essential — but it’s tempered now with a touch of Springsteen’s storytelling. “We were bored and restless,” he sings, and really, isn’t that where all great rock ‘n’ roll comes from? Because everything about this screams rock ‘n’ roll in its purest form.

Even the ballad “Sadie Mae” soars with anthemic grace, as big and emotional as anything Oasis ever did. Then there’s “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore,” a slow-burning acoustic moment that shows Tuk’s tender side without losing the edge. It all builds to a finale that feels like redemption — a reminder that the world can’t be all bad if people are still making music this good.

In some parallel universe, Tuk Smith is the biggest rock star on the planet. Hopefully, he knows that. But for now, we’ll take “Troubled Paradise” as proof that real rock ‘n’ roll is alive, kicking, and living in Nashville — and named Tuk Smith.