The Talbott Brothers Release Soulful Ballad 'Easy Love'

Nick and Ty, the acclaimed duo behind The Talbott Brothers — praised by Rolling Stone for their “cinematic folk-rock for open highways” — deliver the soulful ballad single “Easy Love” from their upcoming 2025 album, Borderlands.

Nick and Ty share, “‘Easy Love’ is a song about desiring an uncomplicated and effortless relationship with someone. Sometimes we overcomplicate love to protect ourselves from being hurt but that doesn’t get us anywhere except ending up alone. It’s about fighting that tendency to let love in and instead lean in.”

Dropping Friday, May 2, Borderlands marks a profound personal rebirth for The Talbott Brothers. This album is a thematic homecoming, returning to the simplicity and raw honesty that first inspired their music. With pensive storytelling and heartfelt artistry, it dives into their journey full circle, offering a powerful reflection of their growth and unshakable roots. 

On November 22, they released the project’s sophomore introspective single “Without Me.” “The track explores the theme of letting go and the realization that both people in a relationship are better off going their separate ways,” Nick and Ty explain. “The lyrics reflect a journey of self-discovery, highlighting the emotional weight of a past connection while acknowledging that separation can lead to a better version of yourself.”

They ignited the fire with “Kerosene,” the project’s rollicking lead single released on September 20. This playful love song embodies the feeling of having someone worth coming back to — someone who rides through the highs and lows by your side, accepting you just as you are. As the first glimpse into the real-life stories woven throughout Borderlands, “Kerosene” offers a raw, stripped-down recording that pulses with unvarnished authenticity. The performance visual, filmed at Red Star Barn in Walla Walla, WA, captures the essence of the song’s fiery spirit and lyrical depth, showcasing the duo’s powerful vocals and heartfelt storytelling against the backdrop of the barn’s rustic charm. 

Raised in the rural Midwestern town of Imperial, Nebraska (population: 1,993), The Talbott Brothers — grounded in the character of that rural upbringing — have built a name for themselves with their soul-stirring lyrics, sibling blood harmonies, and rich melodies that depict the ebbs and flows of life. Beyond Rolling Stone, Billboard spotlighted their “haunting brotherly harmonies,” and The Boot touted them as a must-listen for “fans of John Mayer, Mumford & Sons, and Jason Isbell.” With over three million Spotify streams, their 2017 track, “We Got Love,” from their debut album Gray propelled them to national recognition, filling venues across the country. 

After years of soaking in Portland’s eclectic energy, the brothers felt a strong calling back to their Midwest beginnings. Returning to their small town, they realized that their unchanged hometown had been instrumental in their own evolution. This revelation led to the creation of Borderlands. “During the creative and writing process we spent our days riding motorcycles, going to the lake, shooting guns, driving around listening to old rock ‘n’ roll and country music and sitting by the fire,” Ty explains, delving into their experience of going back home to create the new project. Immersed in the raw sounds of an acoustic guitar and gravel roads, they embraced their country, Americana, and rock ‘n’ roll origins. Inspired by songwriters like Ray LaMontagne and Chris Stapleton, they crafted a sound that feels like coming home while also propelling them into a new era.

Having weaved together their experiences and struggles into a rich tapestry of sound, Borderlands echoes the resilience and soul of Nebraska’s working class, while navigating the emotional frontiers suggested by its name — where heartbreak leads to healing, grief discovers joy, sadness gives way to happiness, anger finds forgiveness, and indifference becomes love.

“We recorded our last record during the pandemic and we explored a lot of different sounds since we were hulled up in a studio for so long,” says Ty. “With ‘Borderlands,’ we wanted to create everything around an acoustic guitar and track things in a room together, keeping it as bare bones as possible.” They decided to embrace the imperfections, opting for a raw, authentic sound instead of the polished production of their previous album. When touching on what they hope Borderlands says about them, The Talbott Brothers responded: “As artists, we hope it says we’re real. As brothers, we hope it says we’re unbreakable.” 

“These songs span a few years so our state of mind wasn’t the same from when we started to when we finished. If listened through top to bottom, you can hear the journey in the progression of the songs,” Nick concludes. “Ultimately, ‘Borderlands’ expresses our own character change, it’s full of grit, grief and good times.”

In recent years, The Talbott Brothers have toured globally, headlining their own shows and sharing the stage with heavyweights like NEEDTOBREATHE, Wild Rivers, Johnnyswim, and ZZ Ward. They’ve also made their mark on the festival scene, playing AMERICANAFEST, The Rock Boat, Portland Folk Festival, and Pure Imagination Festival.

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