Hunting Season

Published: Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 4:01 am

Home Is Where's "Hunting Season" Explores Southern Decay and Trans Identity

Home Is Where, a band known for their unique blend of Southern rock and emo influences, has released their latest album, "Hunting Season." The album, a follow-up to their debut, showcases the band's evolving sound and explores themes of Southern identity, societal decay, and the experience of being transgender in the American South.

The album opens with "Artificial Grass," a track that sets the stage with inventive instrumentation and a sense of desolation. The album then moves through a series of tracks, including "Black Metal Mormon," "Stand Up Special," and "Bike Week," which paint vivid pictures of the South's underbelly. However, the album's momentum is briefly stalled by a section of songs that share a similar tempo and rhythm.

"Hunting Season" picks up again with "Everyone Won the Lotto," a slower song that reflects on the company towns of the South. The album then introduces a series of tracks that are described as the band's "prettiest song yet," "the one that sounds best at a honky tonk," and a "Southern rock mini-opera." The album culminates in "Roll Tide," a lengthy and experimental track. The album concludes with "Drive-By Mooning," a love song to each other, and a gang vocal reading of their band motto.

"Hunting Season" also serves as a reflection on the band's experiences as transgender individuals in Florida. The band members, MacDonald and Komorny, have since left Florida due to the state's anti-trans legislation. The album's themes were further explored during their performance at the Liberation Weekend festival in Washington, D.C., an event organized in response to anti-trans legislation.

BNN's Perspective: "Hunting Season" is a complex and ambitious album that tackles important social issues while showcasing the band's musical growth. While the album's pacing may be uneven at times, its exploration of identity and its critique of societal decay are both timely and thought-provoking. The band's commitment to their values and their willingness to use their platform to advocate for marginalized communities is commendable.

Keywords: Home Is Where, Hunting Season, Southern rock, emo, transgender, identity, music, album review, Florida, anti-trans legislation, Liberation Weekend, alt-country

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