album: Out of the Sky
artist: Salt Creek
genre: rock & roll
release date: October 15, 2021
star rating: three out of five

review by Joshua Maine

It’s been a long two years for all of us. The world seems more uncertain than ever, constantly gaslighting us with the absurdity of our divided political system heaped on top of a deadly virus claiming the lives of our loved ones and stunting our economy. Mental health is every bit in as much of a crisis as the rest of it. Music seems to be one of the best ways to artistically express the importance of self-reflection and getting it “off your chest,” so to speak.

Salt Creek released their first full-length, Out of the Sky, in October on Tooth & Nail Records. I had never listened to Salt Creek before and was surprised to find they have an original, grunge-inspired Midwest sound. The album has a range from loud, punchy tracks to more downtempo, soft moods. I personally found that I liked the softer side of this album. The singer has a great voice that is highlighted when it is not drowned out by loud guitars or distortion. I was honestly surprised to see explicit music being released on Tooth & Nail but was not bothered at all by it as it’s not excessive. This may come as a surprise to some longtime fans of the record company. In years past, they have traditionally signed Christian groups, although not necessarily with Christian music.

Out of the Sky is very relatable and introspective. It touches on struggles with depression, self-worth, friendship through hard times, and constantly comparing oneself to thousands of people we barely know with modern technology. The standout tracks for me are surprisingly not the most-played songs of the album on Spotify. My favorite tracks were “Soul Jar,” “The Vine,” and “Where is the Sun.” There are only really one or two songs on the album I felt uninvested in while listening through. This is a solid debut album, and Salt Creek will be on my radar. I feel like they have potential to push out some great albums in the future as they perfect their own sound. There’s variety here, so if you don’t like the most-played songs, don’t skip out on the rest of the album.