Originating in Lubbock, Texas, the country-rock group Pecos and the Rooftops merge raw rural textures with an understated, steadily rolling midtempo sound. Their unhurried single “This Damn Song” unexpectedly amassed streaming numbers, prompting label outreach that led to a Warner Bros. agreement in the first part of 2023; the band’s debut full-length arrived that June.
Five college acquaintances from the same town—Pecos Hurley on vocals and guitar, Brandon Jones on rhythm guitar, Sheldon Baker on lead guitar, Kalen Davis on bass, and Kris Stephens on drums—first convened informally to play covers and pass time. Still loosely connected in 2017, one casual session supplied the core of what became their defining track. Hurley later finished the lyrics for the measured “This Damn Song,” which, once issued in 2019, turned into a surprise streaming success and spurred the musicians to adopt a stricter routine of touring, songwriting, and rehearsal.
Early label overtures notwithstanding, they stayed independent long enough to release the EP Red Eye in 2020. Although their Texas-country roots stayed audible, the 2021 cut “Last Night’s Lashes” and the 2022 track “Hurt No More” tilted more overtly toward rock. Hurley’s low, rumbling baritone fit a stylistic range that sat between outlaw and grungy alt-rock. By January 2023 the members judged themselves prepared for a major step and signed with Warner Bros., which enabled completion of their first album. The self-titled Pecos & the Rooftops appeared in June, built around their signature hit and a cluster of comparably dark-hued country-rock numbers.
