Written in the strange aftermath of the pandemic when guitarist/vocalist Owen Mancell and harmonica player Ryan Stone were sending song ideas across coastlines, “Kick’n Stones” bears the fingerprints of reconnection. The duo reunites as the Stomp’n Ramblers to deliver a raw, roots-soaked blues record that’s steeped in tradition and sharpened by lived experience.
Recorded primarily at Damien Gerard Studios, the album intentionally avoids overpolish, leaning into the warmth and grit of live performance. The mixes preserve breath, slide noise, and the air between instruments: all the small imperfections that give blues its humanity. It’s the kind of record you’d hear in a smoky back room, where the stomp box thuds like a second heartbeat and the harmonica cuts through the mix like a weathered story.
The album gets its character from Mancell’s slide guitar and Stone’s harmonica, which weave in and out of the vocals with a sense of conversation. The vocal delivery is classic blues, full of grit and raspy undertones. The minimalist setup forces each musical gesture to matter and to the duo’s credit, it does.
Lyrically, the album blends time-honored blues themes and the title track, “Kick’n Stones” is a great example of this. It captures everything the band set out to do with its themes of wandering and letting go of plans and attachments, while a harmonica swirls around Mancell’s voice. It’s classic, road-worn blues with modern clarity.
“Politician” is perhaps the album’s sharpest lyrical moment. Short, punchy, and unflinchingly direct, it breaks from the personal storytelling and aims outward; proof that the band can deliver contemporary critique without losing their identity.
At over five minutes, the closing number, “Last Kiss Goodbye” is the album’s most expansive track. With a classic story of heartbreak and regret, the Ramblers stretch their legs here, delivering more emotional depth and a bittersweet, lingering finish that closes the record with genuine resonance.
Kick’n Stones is a confident, fully-formed blues album from a duo who know exactly what they want their music to feel like: raw, human, and deeply connected. For fans of authentic roots blues, The Stomp’n Ramblers have made one of the year’s standout independent blues releases.
Streaming Link
https://ffm.to/sr-kicknstones