Calder Allen - “Good Times”

SXSW 2023 - OEB Score: 8; Popularity Index: 6

Pairs Well With…Shakey Graves, Noah Kahan, The Head & The Heart

Calder Allen has a tight grasp on an emotive alt-country sound emanating from his debut record The Game, using that basis to craft pop-leaning tunes that are instantly memorable. Sing-a-long choruses anchor his otherwise melancholy, Americana core, so much that songs like “Good Times” and “Show Me the Way” could fit nicely on pop, rock, or country radio playlists. It’s a little gritty but not muddy, raw but not underdone. Credit to Charlie Sexton and Jacob Sciba for their production work on The Game. Making this style sound so crisp and near-perfect lets Allen’s songwriting and performance both thrive. This ability at just twenty-years-old is widely impressive and sets Allen up for a long, growing career given such a moving introduction. Calder Allen opens a stacked bill at Antone’s Wednesday night for C3 Management that also features Michigander, The Front Bottoms’ Brian Sella, and Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. (Kevin McStravick)