Album Review: Orville Peck - ‘Mule’

Masked country superstar Orville Peck returns with his latest effort, Mule later this week on September 18th! An artist I was in on very early on since his debut of Pony and when I caught him at Austin City Limits Festival in 2019. I was so blown away by the set that I went and bought the album on vinyl from the merch tent right after the South African musician finished his set. Since then Peck has catapulted into superstardom, including collaborations with Shania Twain, Elton John, and Willie Nelson. He even makes his film debut as he plays in the upcoming Street Fighter movie as the masked fighter Vega (my absolute favorite character to use in the game I might add).

On Mule, Peck chronicles his year in 2023 where he admitted he hit rock bottom with regard to his issues with addiction. As someone who attends weekly recovery meetings for alcoholism, the story Peck tells both thematically and lyrically on Mule had me on the edge of my seat. On the track “Rehab Blues” Peck details life in inpatient rehabilitation, and shares his experience via press release: Rehab Blues.” But “I didn’t leave sober,” he says. “I

left thinking that now at least I had control of my drinking and that I wasn’t an alcoholic, that I was smarter than that, that I was better than other people that had gone to rehab—or at least that I was different. So I went straight back to partying and being insane”. As someone who has struggled with mental health and addiction issues for most of my life, I can absolutely relate to this one.

“Rehab Blues” begins with Peck’s signature whistling, before transitioning into Peck’s powerhouse vocals and an acoustic melody accompanied by piano. If you were to listen to the track’s melody, you’d think Peck was singing about having a good time. However, the lyrics he shares highlight everything there is to know about rehab including the mundane (no TV after 9:00pm) to the powerful influence the staff wields (such as watching you tame your medication to ensure you’re not violating policy and breaking your sobriety). Some facilities are so stringent, I knew someone how is highly asthmatic, who wasn’t even permitted to carry his rescue inhaler in the facility and suffered an attack while on an outing that included hiking and rattlesnakes in the California hills.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t touch on “The Fall”, in which Peck details how the bottom fell out. He found himself in the height of success and fame in the music industry and an adoring public. On the outside, it seemed like Peck could do no wrong. That’s one of the things about addiction, people do a great job at hiding their struggles and suffer in solitude in many circumstances.

Mule is not all doom and gloom, just as recovery isn’t that way as well. One of the lead singles “Already Gone” a track that features bright melodies, accentuated by Peck’s vocals which might be the most dynamic in the industry today. I appreciated the guitar work in “Blue Skies”, which is primarily electric, and Peck once again shows off his range moving all over his register.

Mule is another record from Peck that hits on every level. It’s thematically sound, well-crafted sonically, and second to none vocally. On Mule, Peck precariously straddles the line on sharing of his struggles and his redemption. I frankly applaud Peck for doing what was necessary to pull everything back together. The vulnerability is on full display on Mike, and I appreciate him sharing his story.

Rating - 10/10