Extending an already stellar album.
As we sit in 2026, there’s absolutely no denying that Flatland Cavalry has been one of the best and most consistent bands for over a decade at this point. Since their debut with Humble Folks in 2016, the West Texas band has scored a plethora of acclaimed hits such as the certified gold duet with Kaitlin Butts, “A Life Where We Work Out,” along with other fan favorites like “Sleeping Alone,” “Missing You” and “Mountain Song.”
Up there with the likes of Turnpike Troubadours, Charles Wesley Godwin, Colter Wall, Whiskey Myers and more, Flatland has established themselves as one of the premier acts in the alternative/independent scene. Of course, this is for good reason. It feels a bit cliché to say that a band feels like they can exist in any era, but it remains true with Flatland. With an undeniably warm, traditional sound, highlighted primarily by frontman Cleto Cordero’s vocals and the heavy emphasis on fiddle from multiple members of the band throughout its existence, the Lubbock-based band has remained one of the best bands in an era filled with some of the most talented groups we’ve seen in a long, long time.
Given their popularity as of late, there’s no denying that fans everywhere have been dying to hear more music. With their last original album being all the way back in November of 2023 with Wandering Star, there was a nearly tangible desire from their ever-growing fanbase for new music.
After catching fire earlier in the year with the release of “Never Comin’ Back,” which became their first-ever single sent to country radio, Flatland would return with their fifth studio album, Work of Heart, back on March 27th.
Overall, Work of Heart was yet another stellar outing from the Texas natives. From laments about heartbreak on “Never Comin’ Back” and “Flicker” to love songs like “Nightshine,” “Bird’s Eye View” and the infectious “All or Nothing,” the album accomplishes exactly what the title suggests and feels like Cordero wearing his heart on his sleeve and presenting a collection of songs that capture exactly how he’s feeling at a given moment.
While the album may have went into a few different directions sonically compared to what you might expect from the band, mainly branching off into a more (tastefully) poppier direction compared to their earlier records, the production choices paid off incredibly well. They’ve set an incredibly high standard for themselves over the past decade, but they met it once again on Work of Heart, proving why they’re one of the best bands in the genre today.
Just over six months later, Flatland is back with a five-song deluxe version of the record, aptly titled Work of Heart – Heartstrings.
Discussing the five-song expansion of the record, Cordero would reveal that that the plan was always to release the entirety of the 17 songs they had recorded for the project. With that being said, however, he’d admit that it wasn’t an easy decision to wait on release of the deluxe edition.
“We recorded 17 songs when we went into the studio to record ‘Work Of Heart.’ It wasn’t easy separating these songs into two factions – the standard and the deluxe – but, per usual, leaning upon intuition, I knew ‘Heartstrings’ was raising its hand to be set apart.”
Additionally, Cordero would credit Flatland pianist, Adam Gallegos, for the expansion, noting that he was the driving force behind the “Heartstrings” mantra.
“It came from a musical idea our pianist and multi-instrumentalist, Adam Gallegos, brought to the table. On one of our days off we got together alongside Reid and Jason and chased it down. To me, it sounded like a classic love song and brought forth the image of one following his heart, floating through a relationship on Cloud 9; not weary of naysayers claiming he’s ‘trippin.’ If we’re to trip, tripping on heartstrings seems a noble way to fall.”
Overall, “Heartstrings” is a welcomed addition to an already stellar album that is Work of Heart. If you were on the fence about some of the production choices on tracks like “Never Comin’ Back,” “Unglued” and “All or Nothing,” the songs present on the deluxe edition harken back to the classic Flatland style that so many have fallen in love with over the past decade — balancing out the record beautifully in the process.
This is best highlighted on the first pre-released track, “Strangers & Angels,” which was written by Cordero along with Casey Beathard and Phil O’Donnell. Feeling like a tried and true Flatland song through and through, filled to the brim with some beautiful fiddle from Wesley Hall, Cordero delivers a beautiful reflection on unity.
“Take what you need, give what you can
Know that God is laughing at our plans
Understand and face the truth
We don’t know it all like we think we do
Drop the gavel, find a smile
Turn up that thankful on the dial
Walk a mile in your neighbor’s shoes
We’re all just strangers and angels passing through”
Ultimately, Work of Heart – Heartstrings feels like a warranted expansion to the standard version of the record. While some deluxe editions come across a bit unnecessary — oftentimes being a bit unfocused — “Heartstrings” is the opposite. If you’re a big Flatland Cavalry fan, it’s nothing short of a must-listen.
“Cinnamon Sugar (It’s Love)”
“Strangers & Angels”
Flatland Cavalry Tour Dates
10/8: Hidalgo, TX – Payne Arena
10/10: El Dorado, AR – First Financial Music Hall
10/16: Waco, TX – 2026 Heart O’Texas Fair & Rodeo
10/17: Natchitoches, LA – Top of the Boot Music Festival
12/31: Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
