Brothers Osborne flex their muscles on the wicked new song “Headstone,” one of three bonus tracks that appear on a deluxe edition of their 2020 album Skeletons.
“Write that on my headstone,” singer TJ Osborne commands in the chorus, while his brother John lays down a meaty riff. It’s a ferocious rocker, one of the duo’s most aggressive. At the midpoint, John’s guitar solo cuts loose, teeing up an unexpected time change. “Here lies a man who gave a damn / wasn’t scared to stand for something,” TJ sings after the break.
“Headstone” arrives with another previously unheard song, “Midnight Rider’s Prayer.” This one’s a ballad, albeit with a boot-stomping rhythm. For the chorus, the band asked Willie Nelson’s permission to crib from “On the Road Again” — the result is a tribute to those who feel most at home on tour.
Brothers Osborne recorded “Headstone” with producer Jay Joyce, but produced “Midnight Rider’s Prayer” themselves at John’s home studio. The songs join the previously released “Younger Me” on Skeletons Deluxe, out now.
Both Skeletons and the band’s performance of “Younger Me” are nominated for Grammy Awards at the April 3 ceremonies. “Younger Me” appeared at No. 19 on Rolling Stone‘s list of the best songs of 2021.