In a world increasingly obsessed with reinvention, Olav Larsen remains defiantly committed to preservation. ‘Stream of Consciousness, Vol. 2’ is a lived-in journal entry, scrawled in the language of twang, ache, and quiet revelation. Backed by The Alabama Rodeo Stars, Larsen has once again delivered a masterclass in emotionally grounded, no-frills Americana that honours its roots without ever feeling stale.
Larsen embraces tradition with the reverence of someone who knows the weight carried in a steel guitar bend or the hush of a well-placed harmony. And yet, nothing here feels dusty. There’s something vital in how these songs move. Slow and steady, but always with eyes fixed on something beyond the horizon.
The record leans into Larsen’s storytelling instincts, pulling threads from heartbreak, hope, doubt, and the kind of bruised resilience that’s hard-earned. His gritty, weary, but always sincere vocals sit at the centre like a campfire’s glow, drawing warmth from a band that clearly knows when to smoulder and when to blaze. The interplay with the female vocalists adds another beautiful layer of depth.
Highlights? Take your pick. Each track feels carved out of something real. Whether it’s the gospel-tinted ache of longing, the dry humour hiding in the corners of regret, or the steady march of endurance through dark nights. There’s a spiritual thread running through the whole thing; not dogmatic, but searching. Larsen doesn’t offer easy answers; he just opens the door to the questions and lets them echo.
What makes ‘Vol. 2’ so compelling is its refusal to overreach. There’s restraint here, but not hesitation. Every fiddle line, every brushed snare, every minor chord feels intentional. And when the album does stretch out, it does so with the grace of a seasoned traveller who’s learned the value of every mile.
With this release, Olav Larsen & The Alabama Rodeo Stars continue to cement themselves as some of the most honest voices in European Americana. ‘Stream of Consciousness, Vol. 2’ is a reminder of its soul, sung by someone who’s clearly walked the roads he writes about.
