Warren Zeiders - Pretty Little Poison

Warren Zeiders sings like a man who gargles gravel for breakfast, and Pretty Little Poison, his 2023 album, puts that rasp right where it belongs: up front and turned up loud.

The Pennsylvania native took an unusual road to Nashville. A former college lacrosse player, he built a devoted following by posting songs online before landing a major-label deal, and this record is where that buzz became a proper body of work. It leans into the rowdier, darker corner of modern country, closer to a smoky roadhouse than a glossy radio studio.

The title track sets the tone, a slow-burning confession about falling for someone you know is bad for you, built around a chorus made for shouting back. "Weeping Willow" slows the pulse for something more bruised, while "Pittsburgh Steel" borrows its name from his home state's industrial heart. The closing "Cowboys Ride Away" lets the dust settle with a weary, open-road farewell.

Zeiders sells every line with a voice that sounds older than his years, and the songs give him plenty of heartbreak and whiskey to chew on.

For fans of Koe Wetzel or Chris Stapleton, it's a loud, heartfelt calling card from a singer with plenty of miles left in the tank.