Album Review: Orville Peck – Stampede
3 min read
Orville Peck isn’t quite an enigma, but his masked appearance may contradict with people’s ideas of a superstar. Since his 2019 debut album, Peck’s fame has grown exponentially. He’s appeared on TV shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and My Kind of Country, worked with Lady GaGa, and appeared on a duet cover of Johnny Cash and June Carter’s Jackson. Now, with his third album, he has embraced the duets wholeheartedly.
Stampede is an album bursting with features, and there’s no better way to begin proceedings than with Willie Nelson. Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond Of Each Other also sets up the album’s themes both lyrically and stylistically, Peck singing of the secretive and often frowned upon relationships between same-sex partners. Musically, it’s a soft lumbering country ballad, complete with a methodical drum beat, twinkling pianos, and a pinch of harmonica. Peck’s cover of Saturday Night’s Alright (For Fighting) featuring Elton John himself is a riot despite being a by-the-numbers rendition, while Death Valley High with Beck features drum loops and a brass section that rattles the mix itself. Peck’s voice is excellent throughout, stretching from deep baritones to Presley-esc warbles. It shines through on tracks like The Hurtin’ Kind that strip back the instrumentation, allowing for Peck’s voice to shine through.
How Far Will We Take It? with Noah Cyrus is a straight-up love ballad that allows both singers to shine. Miénteme takes the album is wholly new direction, not only mixing country with reggaton but also trading languages. Peck tries his best Spanish, while feature artist Bu Cuaron steals the show with their gorgeous tones. Midnight Ride returns to the pop-sphere, featuring not only Kylie Minogue but also Diplo on a clear production credit. Its a fun if basic song, feeling almost tongue-in-cheek, especially with the spoken word bridge. You’re An Asshole, I Can’t Stand You (and I Want a Divorce) seems to follow the comedic vein that permeates the album, but there’s a serious sentiment in the words that Peck and Margo Price convey perfectly. The record concludes on the most feature-heavy song, and arguable the song that deserves it the most. Rhinestone Cowboy pulls no punches, keeping the structure of Glen Campbell’s original whilst allowing everyone included to play their part.
As a collection of songs, Stampede is bursting at the seams with musical variety and star-studded features. Despite every track featuring someone other than Peck, none feel out of place and have been utilised to great effect. The logistics of getting these acts to contribute boggles the mind alone, but the fact that the songs are stronger throughout is testament to Peck’s shear ambition and clear talent.
Writer and Musician, Ryan Bulbeck has been published with a number of online publications, and has worked with a myriad of great artists, both as a performer, and as a producer. His most recent band The 295 are still active, playing shows around the UK.
