Hoedowns and Moonshine – Stop The Weekend (2025)
Known for his confident performances as the lead singer of Cosmo Blue (now defunct), Michael K Flarrety hits the scene with his solo project, Hoedowns and Moonshine. I’ll admit, when I heard the artist’s name – Hoedowns and Moonshine – my mind immediately reverted to the Sweet Home Alabama hoedowns with a couple of guys sipping on some moonshine; and, well, that’s not what this Australia-based musician is all about. Inspired by the likes of Blink 182 and The Offspring, Flarrety drags us to the late 90s/early 2000s rock scene with his debut single, ‘Stop The Weekend’.
Penned, composed, recorded and produced by Flarrety, ‘Stop The Weekend’ immediately grabbed me by the waist, tossing me back a couple of decades singing along into a hairbrush, stomping about and pumping my fist in the air with absolute conviction that I am awesome. A grittier type of Blink 182 with licks of Good Charlotte and a quick breath of Sum 41, ‘Stop The Weekend’ brims with crashing drums, scorching guitars, and a bold bass keeping it steady.
In its intensity, you can feel the hard-hitting weightiness of ‘Stop The Weekend’; however, there is also a strong thread of soothing charm, so you’re on a rollercoaster of rock sound but with calm wrapped about you. In his gruff vocals, Flarrety navigates the melody, but there is also a sense of vulnerability lingering in his intricate exposition of…well, reality.
Now, I might be reading a little too much into ‘Stop The Weekend’ going beyond a superficial glance of not wanting to hit those mundane Mondays; however, a sense of tragedy, fragility and yearning peeps out with the lyrics not wanting to end the weekend while looking back with regret. Yet, as much as there is a delicate underbelly, ‘Stop The Weekend’ is an empowering fist-pump, giving you a bit of hope to make it through the next week.
Strong, hard-hitting, and profound without being too heavy, Hoedowns and Moonshine is blazing with his debut single. I cannot wait for more from this highly recommended musician.
Find out more about Hoedowns and Moonshine on his Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
Hoedowns and Moonshine was brought to our attention by Obsidian PR & Media
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