Title - The Face of 68
Artist - Peter Holsapple
You may know him from The dB’s or Continental Drifters, two bands he co-helmed over the course of influential albums like Stands for deciBels and Vermilion or indeed his duo records with Chris Stamey like Mavericks.
Or you may know him from his work on the road and in the studio with R.E.M. and Hootie. Or via artists like Marti Jones, the Golden Palominos, the Troggs and Claire Lynch, who have all covered his songs.
This is different, though: The Face of 68 (out May 2nd, 2025 via Label 51 Recordings) is a fresh new sound for Peter Holsapple. With a couple of years playing lead guitar with The Paranoid Style under his belt, he’s renewed his rock roots.
The Face of 68 is a high performance album that accentuates Holsapple’s stylish guitar work alongside the established excellence of his songwriting.
1. Anytime Soon
2. The Face of 68
3. Larger Than Life
4. My Idea #49
5. High High Horse
6. That Kind of Guy
7. One for the Book
8. Fireflies
9. See About You
10. So Sad About Sam
11. She and Me
Following 2018’s solo album Game Day, the new recording opens on the jaunty alt-rocker Anytime Soon and then brings us the rambunctious title track The Face of 68, the strident rock of Larger Than Life, the free flowing My Idea #49, and then the emotively melodic High High Horse is brought forth.
With a title that reflects on Holsapple’s age at the time of making this album, 68 years old, along next is the R.E.M.-esque That Kind of Guy which is itself backed by the gentle ebb and flow of the ultra smooth One for the Book, the fervent rocker Fireflies and the impassioned See About You, the set rounding out on the low slung rock of So Sad About Sam, closing on the rhythmic AOR of She and Me.
Official Purchase Links
Peter Holsapple @ Instagram