The Shootouts have never been the type to stay in one lane. Across four albums in just five years, they have chased down their own version of country music, swerving from Western swing and Bakersfield grit to Orbison-style drama and rootsy rippers. But on Switchback, the Akron-based outfit takes that restless spirit and sets it deep in the soil of northeast Ohio, where blue-collar resilience and rust belt pride run through every bar of every song.

With Switchback, lead vocalist and guitarist Ryan Humbert along with guitarist Brian Poston and harmony ace Emily Bates are widening their scope. Produced by Dan Knobler (Allison Russell, Bahamas), Switchback folds in ‘90s honky-tonk, bluegrass, soul organ, a Yaz cover, and even a Vince Gill cameo, all without losing their country core. “This might sound more like us than any of our other records,” Humbert says. “It feels like the beginning of a new chapter.”

That chapter kicked off with “Trampoline,” a groove-heavy opener featuring Lindsay Lou and vintage touches that land somewhere between Del McCoury and Muscle Shoals. From there, the Shootouts flex their versatility without losing focus. “Your Love (I’m Afraid Of)” brings barroom twang with a turbocharged backbeat, while “Only Good at Goodbye,” featuring Logan Ledger, leans into the kind of tear-soaked country they do best. Sam Bush drops in with some mandolin magic on the title track, and longtime Willie Nelson sideman Mickey Raphael lends harmonica to a tender bluegrass twist on Yaz’s synth-pop classic “Only You.”

The Shootouts are making the Opry feel like home - eight appearances and counting, including a showstopping April 25 performance of “I’ll Be Damned” alongside Vince Gill the day the single dropped. They’re back for round nine on June 27. Meanwhile, Switchback just cracked the Top 20 on the Americana Albums chart, landed a Rolling Stone feature from Garret K. Woodward, and earned a glowing 5-star review from Country Music People, who praised Knobler’s work as “astonishingly good production” on what they called a “spectacular album.”

Recording began right after a 24-state tour, and that live energy seeps through every track. Knobler, who met the band through Rodney Crowell (also his father-in-law), helped the Shootouts stretch their sound while staying true to their roots. “He was in the trenches with us,” Humbert says. “It wasn’t just us shaping the songs - he was part of the fight.”

That fight, to stay authentic, to stay evolving, and to stay inspired, is what makes Switchback feel like such a leap forward. The band’s journey from local country upstarts to Grand Ole Opry regulars has earned them spots alongside Marty Stuart, Sheryl Crow, Steve Earle, and even a display at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.