BYWATER CALL : BROKEN SOUVENIRS

BYWATER CALL : BROKEN SOUVENIRS

Hold Me Down
Is This Thing On
No One Else
Only
Way To Go
So Far
Clutter
Sally
How Long
Ain't No Friend Of Mine
Yardsale

Label : Bywater Call Records

Length : 41:05

Release Date : July 29, 2026

Review (Blues Rock Review) : Coming off a year that saw the seven-piece play more than 130 shows across eleven countries, the band hasn’t made an album about touring so much as an album that carries touring in its bones, its intimacy, its exhaustion, its flashes of joy, and its accumulated losses all folded into eleven songs that never once feel like filler. What immediately separates Bywater Call from the crowded field of contemporary roots-soul acts is how little they seem interested in picking a lane. Fronted by vocalist Meghan Parnell and guitarist Dave Barnes, who first started writing together almost by accident, tasked with filling a short opening set with original material back in 2017, the band has grown into a genuinely collaborative seven-piece machine: Bruce McCarthy’s drums and percussion, Mike Meusel’s bass, newest member Andrew Moljgun on keys, and the horn pairing of Stephen Dyte (trumpet, valve trombone) and Julian Nalli (saxophone). Broken Souvenirs puts all of that interplay on full display, moving from horn-driven grooves to hushed acoustic laments without ever sounding like a band trying on different costumes. It sounds, instead, like seven musicians who have played together so often that genre distinctions have simply stopped mattering to them. Produced by Barnes and Patric McGroarty at Palace Studios in Toronto, the album’s palette draws on a wide and well-chosen set of touchstones, Black Pumas and Alabama Shakes on the modern end, Otis Redding and Sly & the Family Stone further back, with a clear line running through Tedeschi Trucks Band’s blend of soul-rock muscle and songwriting patience. But Broken Souvenirs never sounds like a mood board. It sounds like a band who absorbed those influences years ago and has since built something recognizably their own out of them. What gives Broken Souvenirs its emotional backbone is something the band has kept relatively quiet about in press materials: the album is dedicated to two people close to the band who were lost during its making. That dedication doesn’t turn the record into a grief album, exactly, there’s too much groove, too much genuine warmth in these arrangements for that, but it explains the record’s recurring undertow of resilience and quiet reckoning. “Is This Thing On?” is the clearest expression of it, a stripped-back, almost folk-lament of a song built on fingerpicked acoustic guitar that pulls back the curtain on what life on the road actually costs a touring musician, emotionally as much as physically. It’s a brave choice to place so early in the tracklist, and it pays off, everything that follows carries a little more weight because of it. That same current runs quietly under “Clutter,” which trades the album’s horns for banjo and acoustic guitar and becomes one of the record’s most understated, empathetic moments, and under “Sally,” which somehow pairs real melancholy with one of the catchiest choruses on the whole album, a neat trick that speaks to just how strong the band’s songwriting has become. “Way to Go,” the album’s focus track, takes the theme in a more defiant direction: a song about self-determination and quiet resilience that opens in stripped-back fashion before the full band comes crashing in, and it’s arguably the clearest distillation of everything Broken Souvenirs does well in under four and a half minutes. For all its introspective moments, Broken Souvenirs is just as convincing when it lets loose. “Hold Me Down” opens the record with a full-hearted, high-energy blast of vintage soul that immediately establishes Parnell’s vocal command, a voice that critics have reasonably compared to Susan Tedeschi and Amy Winehouse, but which carries its own distinct grit and control, capable of turning on a dime from a whisper to a full-throated wail. “So Far” is where Dyte and Nalli’s horn section gets to stretch out most, layering funk-inflected brass over a groove thick enough to carry the song’s harmonies without ever feeling crowded, a genuine showcase for just how much colour this seven-piece lineup can generate without losing focus. “No One Else,” “Only,” and “Ain’t No Friend of Mine” round out the album’s more immediate, hook-driven side, each one built around a groove sturdy enough to carry Parnell’s vocal without ever competing for space with it. The album’s back half saves some of its strongest material for last. “How Long” builds into a slow-burning, horn-and-synth-laced ache that closes out its stretch of the record with real gravity, and “Yardsale,” the closing track, sends the album off with the same blend of personal storytelling and melodic instinct that defines the record’s best moments, less a triumphant finale than a quiet, satisfied exhale. Coming on the heels of Shepherd, which Classic Rock named its Blues Album of the Year, and the acclaimed 2025 live record Sunshine, Broken Souvenirs doesn’t play it safe just because the band has momentum. If anything, it leans further into the emotional specificity that has always set Bywater Call apart from a crowded field of roots-revival acts, proof that a band with this much collective chemistry doesn’t need to chase a single genre to sound completely, unmistakably like themselves. With a third consecutive UK Blues Awards nomination for International Act of the Year already behind them and an extensive international tour ahead, Broken Souvenirs isn’t just a strong new chapter for Bywater Call, it’s the sound of a band that has figured out exactly what makes them worth following on the road.

Review (Blues Matters Magazine) : Bywater Call have delivered their most assured and emotionally resonant album to date with Broken Souvenirs. Fronted by the outstanding Meghan Parnell and driven by the tasteful guitar work of Dave Barnes, the seven-piece Canadian band continue to blur the lines between blues, soul, rock and Americana, creating a record that feels both deeply personal and widely relatable. From the opening notes, the album carries a sense of hard-earned wisdom. Exploring themes of loss, resilience, self-discovery and redemption, the songs draw heavily from real-life experiences rather than relying on genre clichés. At the heart of it all is Parnell’s remarkable voice, capable of moving effortlessly from intimate vulnerability to commanding power. The album opens with Hold Me Down, a swaggering slice of retro soul that recalls the spirit of Amy Winehouse and Aretha Franklin. Driven by an infectious groove, it immediately establishes the record’s confident tone. Is This Thing On? takes a more reflective approach, combining acoustic guitar and sweeping strings with an honest exploration of the self-doubt that often accompanies sharing creative work with the world. Meanwhile, No One Else delivers a horn-driven soul-rock punch, pairing irresistible energy with a lyrical rejection of manipulation and control. The feel-good soul of Only draws inspiration from some of the genre’s greats, while Way To Go begins gently before building into a powerful statement of individuality and self-belief. So Far adds a cinematic edge, its driving arrangement supporting themes of reinvention and personal transformation. Among the album’s emotional highlights is Clutter, a beautifully crafted ballad examining heartbreak and exclusion. Sally follows with an uplifting message that encourages openness and connection. Elsewhere, How Long blends classic soul with contemporary R&B influences, featuring soaring horns, lush arrangements and a mesmerising guitar passage. Ain’t No Friend of Mine leans firmly into blues-rock territory, propelled by a driving rhythm section and an instantly memorable chorus. The album closes with Yardsale, stripping everything back to acoustic guitar and vulnerable vocals. It is a poignant reflection on lost love and the memories that linger long after relationships end. Richly arranged, passionately performed and emotionally honest, Broken Souvenirs is a significant achievement for Bywater Call and one of the strongest roots releases of the year.

Review (Maximum Volume Music) : Relaxed, timeless soul is not, dear reader, something I’ve ever liked. But there’s always one in any genre – and Bywater Call are it. Renowned for transcending boundaries, the seven-piece Canadian band have built their reputation on emotionally charged performances, exceptional musicianship and the thrilling interplay between everyone involved. Their fourth studio album, “Broken Souvenirs”, finds them moving through soul, Americana, blues, country and rock with an ease that makes genre labels seem largely pointless. “Hold Me Down” begins with the sort of warm, timeless soul that Bywater Call make sound effortless. There’s a groove here, certainly, but there’s also an emotional depth that immediately sets the tone for what follows. “Is This Thing On?” brings a folky edge to proceedings, with its brilliant violin adding to the atmosphere. That gives way to the grandiosity of “No One Else”, where Meghan Parnell’s superb voice is absolutely perfect for the widescreen arrangement. “Only” might sound relaxed, but the heartbreak underneath is crystal clear. Bywater Call have an ability to make pain sound beautiful without ever diluting it, and Parnell sings every line as though she has lived it. When I saw Bywater Call, they were playing acoustically as a pair, and “Way To Go” offers a tantalising glimpse into their more country-fired material. Beginning in stripped-back fashion before the full band takes over, its driving energy is irresistible. There’s a lot going on throughout “So Far”. Things get funky, the horns make their presence felt and the whole thing is drenched in harmonies. It underlines just how many colours the seven-piece can bring to these songs without ever overcrowding them. Personal taste comes into it, I guess, but somehow Bywater Call become even more powerful when they strip everything down. “Clutter”, decorated with acoustic guitar and banjo, is understated, empathetic and utterly compelling. The mood changes again with “Sally”, but my goodness, this band can write a catchy chorus. There’s heart and soul in every second of it, but it has the accessibility to lodge itself in your head immediately. “How Long”, though, is the true highlight. Powerful, emotional and blessed with a horn arrangement that adds rather than distracts, it builds magnificently. Then Dave Barnes cuts loose with a sensational guitar solo. What begins as a great break-up song ends up becoming something genuinely special. “Ain’t No Friend Of Mine” is a vamped-up rocker, its rhythm section driving it forward while Barnes’ slide guitar gives it a filthy edge. It is Bywater Call letting loose, and the contrast with “Yardsale” could hardly be clearer. The final song strips everything back again. Quiet, reflective and filled with loss, “Yardsale” allows Parnell’s voice and the beautiful backing harmonies to carry the emotion. It is a restrained ending to an album that has frequently sounded enormous. In early 2026, Bywater Call earned their third consecutive UK Blues Awards nomination for International Act of the Year. “Broken Souvenirs” makes it easy to understand why. There is class in every arrangement, but more importantly, there is feeling in every note. Relaxed, timeless soul still isn’t something I usually like. Bywater Call, however, remain the exception.

Review (Rock and Blues Muse) : Powerhouse seven-piece roots-rock outfit Bywater Call stake their claim with ‘Broken Souvenirs’, their fourth studio album, arriving July 29. It’s a record that confidently blends rock, Southern soul, blues, funk, and singer-songwriter sensibilities. At the heart of it all is frontwoman Meghan Parnell, one of the finest vocalists working today. She possesses killer pipes, not unlike Susan Tedeschi but with an edge. She’s soulful and powerful, dialed back when necessary. With an innate sense of timing not unlike Aretha Franklin, her phrasing is spot on. You’re either born with a voice like Parnell’s or you spend a lifetime reaching for it. Formed in Toronto in 2017 by guitarist Dave Barnes and Parnell, Bywater Call also features Bruce McCarthy (drums), Mike Meusel (bass), Andrew Moljgun (keyboards), Stephen Dyte (trumpet), and Julian Nalli (tenor sax). Together, they’re an exceptionally tight unit, equally comfortable digging into deep Southern soul grooves as they are exploring folk-inspired storytelling and rock-driven anthems. ‘Broken Souvenirs’ is, at its core, an exploration of the human experience. The band moves effortlessly between electrifying, groove-heavy numbers and introspective ballads without forfeiting their identity. Southern soul may be the band’s sweet spot, but they’re not confined by genre. The band’s growing reputation is well deserved. Bywater Call earned consecutive nominations for the 2025 UK Blues Award for International Blues Artist of the Year, along with multiple Independent Blues and Canadian Maple Blues Award nominations, including Entertainer of the Year and Best Female Vocalist. ‘Broken Souvenirs’ follows their critically acclaimed 2024 release, ‘Shepherd.” Album opener “Hold Me Down” immediately showcases what makes this band special. Built on a retro soul foundation, the song features a dynamic rhythm section, punchy horns, rich background vocals, and an undeniable connection with Parnell and groove. It’s the perfect introduction to the album’s musical talents. A completely different mood arrives with “Is This Thing On?” An intimate ballad built around acoustic guitar and strings, it captures the vulnerability of sending your art out into the world and hoping it connects. Parnell delivers one of her most affecting performances as she sings, “If we can’t hold it together, will we ever get out of here?” The song recalls the great singer-songwriters of the 1970s. It goes without saying that Bywater Call understands exactly how to channel emotion into their songwriting. “No One Else” returns to the band’s retro bluesy rock and soul feel. Driven by an infectious rhythm, atmospheric keyboards, guitar delay, and a blazing horn section, the track carries an undercurrent of darkness while remaining melodic. Once again, Parnell’s phrasing locks perfectly into the rhythm, elevating an already memorable song. As producer and guitarist, Dave Barnes proves to be the ideal musical counterpart to Parnell. His tasteful slide guitar and thoughtful arrangements shape much of the album’s character. “Clutter” is a standout, built around the aching lyric, “How I wish I could be the one that you hold on to, the one that you need.” The background vocalists repeating “How I wish” lend an almost gospel-like atmosphere. The unexpected banjo adds an interesting texture, though it’s one of the few moments on the album where the arrangement feels slightly busier than necessary. Then comes “Sally,” one of the album’s brightest surprises. Barnes opens with sweet, sinewy slide guitar before the band settles into a joyful, funky groove. The arrangement is brilliant, making use of space before the chorus drops into the verse. With its blend of pop, soul, this tune is infectious. “How Long” closes this stretch of the record as a slow-burning blend of contemporary soul and R&B. Soaring horns, shimmering synths, expressive guitar work, and a beautiful melody create a powerful sense of longing. Once again, Parnell delivers a performance that’s impossible to ignore, but what lingers long after the song ends is the band’s songwriting. That’s what ultimately makes ‘Broken Souvenirs’ such a rewarding listen. Outstanding musicianship is one thing. Pair it with thoughtful, emotionally resonant songs and a vocalist of Parnell’s caliber, and Bywater Call have something genuinely special.

Review (Rock The Joint Magazine) : When we last spoke to Meghan Parnell in 2023, she told us : “The album is a keepsake, a collector’s album. There is still a place for physical ownership, and there are those who know how important merchandise is to a band. We want that product for them.” “Hold Me Down” opens proceedings with surprising funk and a bluesy edge. The arrangement is relatively stripped back, supported by rich harmonies and even a touch of Gospel influence. It feels mature and confident, creating the perfect soundtrack for an intimate evening with someone special. “Is This Thing On?” immediately transported me back to my time in Madrid and Segovia; those warm evenings when children played in the streets, families gathered outside and moths circled beneath the streetlights. It’s a story-driven piece, simply told: “If we can’t hold it together, will we ever get out of here?” A beautifully crafted song with strong folk leanings. “No-One Else” arrives cloaked in atmosphere, carried by a commanding vocal performance from Meghan Parnell. Musically it took me towards those Prohibition-era Chicago clubs of the 1920s. I could easily imagine this accompanying a smoky movie scene. Every track so far has held my attention. “Only” offers a gentler contrast. A strong drum pattern provides the heartbeat while the layered backing vocals create beautiful harmonies throughout. It has an easy conversational quality that allows it to drift effortlessly through the middle of the album. “Way To Go” begins in understated fashion before bursting into a bold, energetic number that feels tailor-made for a festival crowd. There’s plenty of boogie, an infectious chorus and a celebration of life’s long road that is impossible not to enjoy. “So Far” sits at the midpoint of the album and immediately gets the foot tapping. Even sitting down, it’s difficult to stay still during this one. There’s a relaxed Southern grit running throughout, while the interplay between lead and backing vocals is once again outstanding. At just 2:49, it’s also one of the album’s shortest offerings. “Clutter” returns to a more folk-inspired sound, telling the story of a girl and what might have been; the longing to be the one your love truly wanted. Filled with lyrical metaphors and warm country guitar, it’s a song for campfires and quiet smiles beneath the stars. “Sally” is something of an outlier. It carries a distinct seventies flavour that had me wondering where I’d left my flared trousers. Sally isn’t answering the door when we ring the bell—perhaps she doesn’t realise we’re on her side. It’s an enjoyable listen, although I didn’t connect with it quite as strongly as some of the earlier tracks. “How Long?” is another effortlessly cool, laid-back number. Lyrically it asks how much the heart can endure: “How long before I push you away?” Despite exploring emotional emptiness, there’s considerable strength in its delivery. This feels like a perfect soundtrack for a warm summer evening in the garden as the world quietly rolls by. “Ain’t No Friend of Mine” is the album’s full-blooded rocker. Driven by the drums and packed with live energy, it races along with an infectious sing-along chorus that audiences are going to love. “Yardsale” closes the album on a slower, more reflective note. Personally, I found myself wondering whether “Ain’t No Friend of Mine” might have made an even stronger finale, but that’s a sequencing preference rather than a criticism of the song itself. Bywater Call never feel constrained by one particular style, allowing blues, soul, roots, folk and rock to weave naturally together. Throughout it all, Meghan Parnell’s outstanding vocal performance provides the thread that ties everything together. This isn’t an album chasing radio trends or streaming algorithms. It’s a record made by musicians who clearly trust their songs, trust each other and trust their audience. Bywater Call continue to prove why they have become one of the most respected live acts on today’s blues and roots scene, and this release only strengthens that reputation. Love what we do? Rock the Joint Magazine is completely free — no paywalls, no ads ruining the read — just passionate music journalism for 1,000+ readers a day. If you enjoy hanging out with us, please consider hitting the “Support Us” button and buying us a coffee on Ko-Fi. Even a small donation genuinely helps keep the magazine running, lets us publish more features, and reminds us that people value independent music writing. Remember, I work hard for you here!

Review (Get Ready to Rock!) : Diversity is definitely this Bywater Call’s strength. From Al Green type soul to stark americana acoustic Davey Graham style guitar picking with a vocal, to almost goth style moods, and the glue sticking this all together is the vocal prowess of Meghan Parnell, who can lift you with righteous joy, send shivers down your spine or bring a tear to your eye. This seven piece band from Toronto really gel as a unit when they are all playing, they leave space for each others contribution. The line up is Meghan on vocal, Dave Barnes guitar, Bruce McCarthy drums Mike Meusel bass, Andrew Moljgun keyboards, Stephen Dyte trumpet, and Julian Nalli Tenor sax. Dave Barnes guitar work throughout the album is so humble but so effective. He switches from acoustic picking, to slide to electric licks and stabs, but never screams make way, I am the guitar player. He just sits in the pocket offering the right amount of economic and effective playing, seemingly content with his gargantuan talent. This is the bands fourth album, and my delicious introduction to them. It features three already critically acclaimed singles No One Else, Only And Hold Me Down, as well as current single Is This Thing On, and I can already hear the next one in Sally. They really are genre transcending. Take track five, Way To Go, which starts out as an acoustic delta blues and ends up full blown gospel! – absolutely stunning The two piece brass section really add an extra dimension, which is really needed to achieve their style hopping. But then jump to track seven Clutter which features some delightful banjo picking from John Kervin, and then aforementioned Sally which is kind of gospel, kind of Tamla Motown, and very infectious. After the emotionally charged How Long, which just builds and builds with some beautiful brass stabs A la Amy Winehouse, comes a rockabilly piece of vitriol in Ain’t No Friend Of Mine, which just gets you jigging in the aisles with a big grin on your face playing air trumpet. Finishing on the low key Yardsale which is always a good place to finish an album, I just want to go back to the beginning, which is the Al Green infused single Hold Me Down. This is followed by the stark single Is This Thing On, then the gothic flavoured No One Else, which you could imagine popping up in a Serge Leone spaghetti western. And then fourth track is fourth single Only, with another Green soul groove. Four singles in four tracks what a way to start an album. But the rest of album just doesn’t falter at all. This album is a real smorgasbord of everything good in American music. So many influences, but so much originality. I hope they are mightily pleased when they listen back to it. After multiple award nominations they really deserve to actually receive one for this album.