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Country-rock standouts Southall are back with a song built for late nights and long looks out the window. Today, the Platinum-certified band releases “Freight Train,” a striking new single that leans into southern soul, reflection, and the unstoppable pull of time.
The release arrives as the band prepares for some of the biggest stages of their career, including a May 21 stop at Bridgestone Arena here in Nashville, where Southall will bring their road-tested intensity to one of Music City’s premier rooms.
From the jump, “Freight Train” settles into a deep, swinging groove. Drums lock in with purpose while loose guitar lines rattle over a steady bass, accented by old-school piano and slow-burning keys. Frontman Read Southall takes a reflective turn in the verses, wrestling with the feeling of time slipping away faster than you can grab hold of it. “Time is moving like a freight train, brother / I don’t know where to go,” he sings—before ultimately landing on acceptance: it keeps on moving.
“‘Freight Train’ is a southern soul anthem dedicated to old friends and lovers,” Southall shared. “It touches on the loss of love and life and eventually comes to grips with the fact that it’s a path we must all walk.”
“Freight Train” follows last month’s well-received “Southwestern Son,” which drew praise for reaffirming the band’s roots while pushing forward creatively. Critics called it a statement of intent from a group that knows exactly who they are—and isn’t chasing trends to prove it.
On the road, Southall stays busy. This month, they’ll head through the Northeast and Midwest with Ole 60, before joining The Black Crowes and Whiskey Myers on the massive Southern Hospitality Tour this summer—putting the band in front of the largest crowds they’ve played yet, including their Nashville date at Bridgestone Arena.
The new single follows a packed 2025 for the band, capped by the release of The Six String Sorrow Sessions, a reimagining of songs from their breakout independent debut featuring collaborators like Koe Wetzel, John Jeffers of Whiskey Myers, and Hudson Westbrook. A decade in, Southall continues to grow without losing the grit that built their following.
With nearly 700 million career streams and a reputation forged the hard way—one sweaty room at a time—Southall’s momentum shows no signs of slowing. “Freight Train” proves they’re still moving forward, even when the road gets heavy.
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