With four independent album releases under his belt, country artist Hence Phillips is back, dropping Heaven or Nashville on March 5th, 2026. Packing tracks into forty minutes, Hence Phillips takes us on a journey through the vibrant, cosy and timeless scenes of the Deep South, flecked with old-school motifs and a radiantly wholesome edge.
With a traditional country band set up of banjos, fiddles, mandolins, organs and pedal steel guitars, the vocalist, songwriter and guitarist Hence Phillips conjures instantly uplifting moods through each track; each song a perfect summer’s soundtrack to your next porch bench reading session or sunny barbeque get-together. Heaven or Nashville was produced by Grand Ole Opry music director Kerry Marx and recorded at The Parlor Studio on Music Row in Nashville, featuring an all-star cast of session players who have recorded and toured with a who’s who of major artists.
As this reviewer explores the album beneath the grey smear of an English sky, Heaven or Nashville hits like a daydream of sweetness, freedom and bliss. Hence Phillips’ plush, joyful atmospheres conjure the very elements which made country and Americana a transcontinentally beloved genre, as Hence revives the sounds and experiences of decades past in time with bold, modern twists.
While “Rolling” hits like a hectic rodeo theme tune, “Art of Leaving” dabbles in the bittersweet. “Only One Of You” melts light jazz/blues themes with beachside, Hawaiian quirks, before “Fun With The Truth” dives headfirst into country rock and pop; guitar riffs sliding over Hence Phillips’ supercharged rhythms, crafting a song that could get any live crowd chanting along.
Love songs like “Anna Lee” come intertwined with inner secrets; name-drop tracks such as “Angels Down In Texas” trace out Hence’s local imagery like a movie scene; while other inclusions reveal introspective revelations, lessons learnt on his journey through life, and brutal truths that lead to self-evolution – each refusing to sink into sadness, but delivered in every bright shade of hope.
You don’t need to be a fan of country music to fall in love with Hence Phillips’ sound. While Hence sketches landscapes and experiences which transcend his genre, that classic country backdrop bleeds nothing but the finest moods, ready to transform your mindset and clear up your inner storms with impeccable atmospheres, comfort-laced lyrics and an overall feeling of calmness.
We at The Ark of Music can’t get enough of this record, leaving us with one final verdict: Highly Recommended.
BELOW: Listen to Hence Phillips and check out their music online. Please support Hence Phillips by visiting their website and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.