Parker Barrow | Hold The Mash | Album Review

August 4, 2026 Jason Shrum

Parker Barrow is best absorbed live, but if you can’t get to a show, be sure to crank their music to eleven, because that’s the way it was meant to be ingested. Think Lynyrd Skynyrd with a female lead that has the pipes of Grace Slick, Janis Joplin and Ann Wilson rolled into one. Then tack on a look that rivals Stevie Nicks and pretend that Daisy Jones and the Six came to life and you’ve got the powerful front-woman that is Megan Kane and the southern-rock-blues-fusion band Parker Barrow (hopefully with less internal drama then the Six). I caught the Nashville based group at 3^rd & Lindsley last year and was left in sheer awe by the sound of this incredible collection of musicians. It was in April of 2025, when I saw their act as they were in their hometown promoting their first album, Jukebox Gypsies which garnered great reviews by many music journalists including this guy. My goal is to help place Parker Barrow on your radar (*makes blip noise while typing) because if you like those bluesy-Rolling Stones, Allman Brothers, Black Crowes and the like, then you are truly going to fall in love with this band.

The ensemble consists of Megan (vocals), Dylan Turner (drums), Alex Bender (guitar), Will Tipton (guitar), Kyle Priber (bass guitar) and Eric Safka (keyboards) and their new album dropped on July 17^th. The record is called Hold The Mash and it’s an onslaught of up-tempo rock and roll with a bunch of bangers including the single ‘Blinded’ that came out in late April of 2026. “It was one of the first tracks written and recorded for the new album,” said guitarist Bender about the single in a press release. “It helped to give a bit of direction to where we hoped to go with the tracks that were to follow. The main riff sounds very Stonesy. I approached the rhythm guitar parts how I would imagine Keith Richards would play them if he was in the band. ‘Blinded’ is a good example of the less is more approach where the beauty lies in its simplicity.” Regarding the lyrics of the track, Turner (who is Kane’s husband) added, “It’s so easy for us as musicians to be enthralled by the world we live in, seeking validation from likes and comments that feed the flesh rather than the spirit. I wrote this as a reminder to myself to first seek the kingdom and to not forget the bigger purpose.”

When you listen to the album, it seems timeless in the sense that you could drop this compilation in any decade, post the mid-60’s, and it would be identifiable as being made in that timeframe. This construction of their art is well thought out, well place and certainly orchestrated with meticulous care. The fact that Parker Barrow’s sophomore record and the Rolling Stones 25^th studio release came out within a week of each other is quite a cool coincidence. It bookmarks a place in musical history, yet it also says that the future has been listening and that the music never dies;it just takes on new shapes with fresh voices. Megan is that vocal prominence that tears into these tracks with a vibrance and a soul sound that is in a league of its own. She never sings in an idle space. Megan’s range matches the components of her bandmates’ abilities, and that is to say it is all endless. The twin lead guitars of Tipton and Bender jangle and twang with idyllic riffs and Safka’s electric ivories dance alongside, as all the cosmic tones race in the ethos of these recordings. Turner’s powerful pacing from behind the kit looms large with Priber’s bass and that uproarious thundering echo of life maintains an arc of toe-tapping joy.

Parker Barrow gives their heart and soul to these nine wonderful tracks. There is a clear vision that is fueled by immeasurable passion. The live-performance vibe can be felt within the grooves of this recording. Everytime a new track started a thought to myself, “Okay, this one is my favorite”. The fact is that all the songs work well as a whole and that is the mark of a very special piece of art. The blues, the heavier rock and the deep soulfulness all culminate into one beautifully produced sculpture. The song ‘Novocaine’ lives in the realm of that 1970’s groove rock with huge punches of heavy accents and Kane’s voice getting gritty and honest.

“Novocaine came from an idea Alex, our guitarist, had in his back pocket for some time,” says drummer, Dylan Turner. “At the time he showed it to us I had recently written some lyrics with no real melody or ‘song structure’ in mind, but I immediately realized the riff he brought to us was perfect for the lyrics I had just written.” Bender added, “Novocaine was derived from an idea I had saved from a jam a few years ag. It was a swung, sixteenth note chromatic riff that when paired with certain accents from the drums, created a bluesy almost seductive feel that was perfect for a verse. Originally written on guitar, our producer, Stephen McKnight, heard the riff and had the idea to transfer it and feature a Rhodes electric piano. This added even more character to the darker mood of the track. We felt dynamics were very important, so we used different instrumentation to achieve a wide dynamic range.”

The band also rolls out a fantastic cover of ‘My Morning Song’ by the Black Crowes in which they kept pretty much true to the original version, however, those vocal gymnastics by Kane must’ve had Chris Robinson memorized (assuming he heard it – and I hope he did). Parker Barrow has been on the road in the US for most of the year, and they recently touched down in the UK and are in the middle of their first headlining tour over there with 3 sold-out shows to kick things off. In addition to their own tour dates, the band will also be appearing at Planet Rock’s SteelhouseFestival and the Maid of Stone Festival. Parker Barrow just announced that they will be returning to the UK in late November for another run of headlining shows as well as an appearance at Planet Rockstock. Go find Hold The Mash now and more importantly, go support this dynamic group if they are ever within 100 miles from your town.

Hold The Mash – Album Track List

1. The Healer (3:44)
2. Blinded (3:38)
3. Nothing Left To Save (3:40)
4. Novocaine (3:57)
5. Oliva Lane (4:13)
6. Make It (3:26)
7. Glass Eyes (4:22)
8. Ruby’s Reckoning 4:43)
9. My Morning Song (4:22)