Clay Street Unit

"Whenever we're onstage, we're just trying to throw a party," says Clay Street Unit's Sam Walker. "Life's hard enough already. We want to remind people to let loose, love each other, and enjoy themselves." Celebration. Catharsis. Friendship. It's all part of Sin & Squalor, Clay Street Unit's full-length debut. Recorded in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and inspired by the sounds of the Appalachians, it's a record that blurs the borders between genre and geography. The result is a singular interpretation of American roots music — a sound that mixes the acoustic instrumentation of bluegrass and folk with the amplified energy of Americana and country. Driven forward by drums, sharp songwriting, and the chemistry of six good friends and musical brothers who've shared countless hours on stage, Sin & Squalor doesn't just nod to Clay Street Unit's wide spread of influences; it reshapes them into something new. Everything began in Denver, Colorado, where Clay Street Unit formed in 2021. Many of the band's members — mandolinist Scottie Bolin, banjo player Jack Cline, pedal steel guitarist Brad Larrison, drummer Brendan Lamb, and singer/guitarist/ringleader Sam Walker — had grown up elsewhere, spending their teenage years in cities like Atlanta, Charlottesville and Montgomery. Coming together in Colorado where they added bassist Jack Kotarba, they mixed the southern soundtrack of their youths with the raw, rugged spirit of the West.