Dougie Poole

Dougie Poole is a musician and songwriter living in Los Angeles. Coming of age in Providence, Rhode Island’s DIY scene in the early 2010s, he dabbled in heavier and more experimental music before maturing into a country auteur . On The Rainbow Wheel of Death, Poole’s 3rd release via Wharf Cat Records, he breathes new life into country music, retaining the acclaimed elements of his previous work — drum machines, acoustic guitars, synthesizers, and his deep-set voice — while pushing toward something warm, organic, and prismatic . This album, released in 2023, garnered significant critical attention. PopMatters noted that with this record, Poole largely abandons the irony of his previous work for something more traditional, sounding less like a pastiche and more like the real thing, praising its genuine pathos . No Depression described the album as groovy music for melancholy times, highlighting its lyrical themes of mortal uncertainty and the warmth of its collaborative recording process . Americana UK noted the album’s more sober tone compared to his previous work, while still appreciating the blend of traditional instruments with synthesised sounds, drawing comparisons to artists like Jerry Garcia and Mike Nesmith . Loud and Quiet gave the album an 8/10, acknowledging its themes of anxiety and visions of apocalyptic scenarios, yet finding it musically bright and sweet with a live band feel . Poole’s previous album, The Freelancer’s Blues (2020), also received critical acclaim, with Aquarium Drunkard dubbing him the “patron saint of millennial malaise” for his sardonic wit and topical songwriting . His debut album, Wideass Highway, was released in 2017 .