Flatland Cavalry Work of Heart Review
Flatland Cavalry’s latest album, “Work of Heart” is their first entirely new venture since 2023 and fans won’t be disappointed. Their “easy on the ears and heavy on the hearts” foundational sound remains ever present, but for those who maybe haven’t ventured as close to the blurred lines of americana and country music before, a more pop feel may lure them into Cavalry's world.
The band are a polished act by this stage in their career, with this their fifth studio album. Kicking off with “Gone”, a single originally released in 2025, the LP gets off to a strong start. The clean fiddle sound is prevalent throughout the album and almost flows straight into “On and On”, the second song of the album. It’s a cutesy love song and is everything you’d expect from the folksy sound of Flatland Cavalry.
Many of the standout parts of this album reside with lead singer Cleto Cordero. Not only did he solely write, or was part of the writing, on every song in the album, his vocals are effortlessly perfect. The rest of the band perfectly accompanies him with excellent guitar and fiddle solos on “Bird’s Eye View”, a song that makes you think about what your perspective is on life, perhaps not focusing on the straight ahead but instead letting life lead you in whatever direction it wants.
And while it may feel like it is pandering to the masses to some, the radio ready pop/country/folk song “Never Comin’ Back” is surely the standout of the album. While ultimately a sad song, it partners the band’s traditional instruments with an upbeat feel throughout.
The band are a polished act by this stage in their career, with this their fifth studio album. Kicking off with “Gone”, a single originally released in 2025, the LP gets off to a strong start. The clean fiddle sound is prevalent throughout the album and almost flows straight into “On and On”, the second song of the album. It’s a cutesy love song and is everything you’d expect from the folksy sound of Flatland Cavalry.
Many of the standout parts of this album reside with lead singer Cleto Cordero. Not only did he solely write, or was part of the writing, on every song in the album, his vocals are effortlessly perfect. The rest of the band perfectly accompanies him with excellent guitar and fiddle solos on “Bird’s Eye View”, a song that makes you think about what your perspective is on life, perhaps not focusing on the straight ahead but instead letting life lead you in whatever direction it wants.
And while it may feel like it is pandering to the masses to some, the radio ready pop/country/folk song “Never Comin’ Back” is surely the standout of the album. While ultimately a sad song, it partners the band’s traditional instruments with an upbeat feel throughout.
It continues to look up for the Texas rockers whose Spring tour includes a massive show supporting Morgan Wallen and Ella Langley in Indianapolis on May 9th.
The title track, “Work of Heart”, is a clever song about life itself, its craziness and the joy you can find in it. There are poignant lyrics throughout, including “life’s a labour of love, a real work of heart” but none more so than the final line. As the instruments almost entirely break down, they reveal a message that many of us today could use:
“Busybody, won’t you get some sleep. All the wee small hours wasted and worrying about the week.”
The album closes out with the latest single by the band, the slow-rocking anthem “Real Slow”. It really starts to feel as though the purpose of the album is to teach listeners about how to better enjoy their lives, removing distractions from the world and focusing on what truly matters.
Overall, Flatland Cavalry’s latest album is a real success in what promises to be a massive year for the band. And with the rise of Kaitlin Butts becoming even more apparent, country music looks to have one hell of a power couple at its disposal with Cordero and Butts taking centre stage.
The title track, “Work of Heart”, is a clever song about life itself, its craziness and the joy you can find in it. There are poignant lyrics throughout, including “life’s a labour of love, a real work of heart” but none more so than the final line. As the instruments almost entirely break down, they reveal a message that many of us today could use:
“Busybody, won’t you get some sleep. All the wee small hours wasted and worrying about the week.”
The album closes out with the latest single by the band, the slow-rocking anthem “Real Slow”. It really starts to feel as though the purpose of the album is to teach listeners about how to better enjoy their lives, removing distractions from the world and focusing on what truly matters.
Overall, Flatland Cavalry’s latest album is a real success in what promises to be a massive year for the band. And with the rise of Kaitlin Butts becoming even more apparent, country music looks to have one hell of a power couple at its disposal with Cordero and Butts taking centre stage.
