Nestled along the banks of the Kanawha River sets Montgomery, West Virginia with a population of roughly 1,300 people. The city is shared between two counties, Fayette and Kanawha. It is also responsible for producing Philip Bowen, who is having a fantastic week.

Earlier this week, Philip was announced as one of the 55 finalists that will be on the live shows, with his performance happening on September 5th. And to end his week he has dropped his full length album Old Kanawha, which is heavily influenced by his time in the aforementioned Montgomery and the mighty river that flows through it. The album was preceded by three singles, Old Kanawha, Vampire in Appalachia, and Lightning Bugs. The album as whole is the perfect music to transition us out of summer and into the inevitable fall.

We could talk about how great each track is, but a stand out track is A Murder, which is an anthem for the weary hearted. Bowen doesn’t offer any answers but voices the cry of a person handling the pressure of life and feeling the heartbreak of it all. Listen to it below and pick up the album on Philip’s store.

The album was primarily recorded with Zach McCord of McCord House Recording helming the production chair.