If anyone’s still wondering whether the past can sound brand new, Duane Hoover’s Wayward Path settles it with a grin and a guitar twang. Hoover pays tribute to the ’60s British Invasion, the wild-eyed punk of the late ’70s and picks up the best parts, twisting them up, and launching them right into 2025. Wayward Path is part original, part loving reinvention, but every inch of it feels stitched together by Hoover’s crackling energy and wild fun. Right from the jump, “Sorrow” hits like a sunbeam at full speed, a surge of jangling guitars, Keith Moon-style drum rolls, and Pete Townshend power chords. Hoover’s high, soaring vocals give it a shot of fresh blood while still tipping his hat to the Merseybeats and Bowie versions he grew up admiring.
The title track, “Wayward Path,” sparkles with rumbling drums and shimmering guitars, as Hoover’s relaxed, storytelling voice carries you down some nostalgic, winding road. And “Over the Years” softens the edges even more, a vulnerable narrative wrapped in whimsical “la-la-la”s and sweet Yardbirds-esque harmonies. Even when he’s tackling covers—like the warm, thumping “Wishing Well” or the twinkling pop of “It’s Cold Outside,” Hoover reimagines, roughs them up a little, shines them in new colors. By the time he ends on a cow-punk punch with Buddy Holly’s “Fool’s Paradise,” you can tell he’s pulling these songs into his own orbit.
Wayward Path could have been just another nostalgia trip, but Hoover’s flexible creativity and fearless heart make it a vibrant, living conversation between then and now. Check it out on Spotify.
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Review by: Naomi Joan