A laid-back drift wanders across West Texas Exiles’ debut LP 8000 Days, hazy heat mirage summers mixed with a familiar dusted restlessness. The quintet, rising from the red dirt of the Dirty River Boys, can still punch with guitar-driven power, but the songwriting trio of Marco Gutierrez, Daniel Davis, and Colin Gilmore leans more wistful and nostalgic, like a Panhandle Band of Heathens. To kick off 2026, the band plans to fire off a tribute to the Stones’ classic Exile on Main Street at Antone’s, with special guests including opener Nik Parr & the Selfless Lovers. – Doug Freeman
