Jay Buchanan: Weapons of Beauty Review

One year ago, Rival Sons frontman Jay Buchanan headed out to the Mojave Desert to spend some time in isolation as he worked on new music.

When he emerged from his underground bunker a few months later, Buchanan had the rough material that eventually became Weapons of Beauty, his debut solo album due out Feb. 6 on Sacred Tongue Records via Thirty Tigers.

Weapons of Beauty was produced by longtime Rival Sons collaborator Dave Cobb and sequenced by Scott Cooper, who recently directed Buchanan in his acting debut in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Bassist Brian Allen, drummer Chris Powell, keyboardist Philip Towns, and guitarists Leroy Powell and J.D. Simo also play on the record.

In many ways, the 10-track album’s lonely and searching qualities reflect that time Buchanan spent alone with his thoughts. He explained as much in a Dec. 7, 2025, post on Instagram. But “I also made a friend of the isolation,” he wrote, “and ultimately the desert itself kind [of] became a really spirited collaborator.”

Weapons of Beauty starts with its first single “Caroline,” a track about the seeming impossibility of survival in the face of true heartbreak. He contends with loneliness again on “High and Lonesome,” a slow, steady track with lyrics that appear to pull directly from Buchanan’s sojourn: “I’m high and lonesome / And the desert’s too quiet.”

On Rival Sons records, Buchanan has repeatedly demonstrated a commanding control of his voice, able to sing softly when the lyrics necessitate a gentler touch or let loose when the song calls for the full force of his vocal might. Listeners often hear the latter on Rival Sons’ most popular songs, but the first time this pops up on Weapons of Beauty is the third track. As Buchanan’s website acknowledges, he is known for his “preacher-like presence”—and this is the version of him that appears on “True Black,” the album’s second single, as his soulful vocals soar over twangy guitar and dancing keys.

Many of the songs that follow have a singer/songwriter feel. From “Tumbleweed” and “Deep Swimming,” which show Buchanan stepping into storyteller mode, to the reflective “Shower of Roses” and “The Great Divide,” the songs feature delicate performances from the musicians who joined Buchanan on the record, with “Sway” serving as a standout example of the way their playing accentuates his voice.

The emotion-packed Weapons of Beauty closes with penultimate song “Dance Me to the End of Love,” which sounds reminiscent of “Only One” from Rival Sons’ 2011 album Pressure & Time, and the piano-driven title track, which again finds Buchanan’s powerful vocals in the spotlight.

For years, Buchanan has been Rival Sons’ valued frontman, dependably performing at the top of his game in the studio and onstage. With Weapons of Beauty, listeners are getting their first glimpse of what Buchanan has to offer as a solo artist—and he does not disappoint.

The Review: 8.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Caroline
– True Black
– Sway
– Dance Me to the End of Love

The Big Hit

– True Black