Redwood Revolution – Access Humboldt and Pocketful of Posies LIVE! 2026 (Album Review)

Put down your beers and push your way to the front of the stage for this next album: Access Humboldt and Pocketful of Posies LIVE! 2026 by Redwood Revolution.

Meant to be heard LOUD, this record asks you to be part of the vibe of a post-punk, post-capitalist movement that would fit the model as a modern Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan hybrid. If Jesse Wells met Jimi Hendrix, etc., you get the picture. If you’re feeling frustrated with the world in 2026, turn this up to 11 and let your spirit unleash! Let’s get into the details:

Redwood Revolution are a new four-piece band, headed up by Beth Isbell (of BeThisBell). This record offers 5 tracks from a live gig captured in Eureka, Northern CA, (Pocketful of Posies) and 11 tracks fromAccess Humbolt: a recording from a local TV station. All tracks are live recordings, and as such, have fewer tools available in post-production than a studio recording. That being said, this record offers the listener a true live gig experience, and invertedly, offers a protest against the gloss and sheen of a capitalist-driven music culture. We are used to hearing everything boxed in neatly and packaged- consumerist sonic wallpaper. Instead, this evokes the messy reality of live gigs, revolutionary rage, strong feelings: the human element!

The opening track is a verbal spoken introduction: I love that this is left in, again to make it clear that the listener has walked into a live gig. Redwood Revolution could increase audience sounds at the end of songs to push this feeling further.

Slow then kicks in with the standard chord progression you’ll hear in Boulevard Of Dreams (Green Day), but a lovely floating guitar solo over the top which weaves in and out around the verses: I wish it had a nice, bigger plate reverb over it. Percussion is minimal, a little gain peak on the vocals, this song sets the gig out with a chilled vibe. I like the spoken bits by Beth- quite Jimi Hendrix-like. There is a lot of noise in the track from the distortion, perhaps? Still, it adds to the atmosphere. The drums change pattern to up the energy and then sit back to let a soaring guitar end the track with wonderful feedback and reverb: A well-constructed song.

Welcome to the show! Is next, which starts with an edited fade-in. Again, this opener is nicely held by a guitar riff, but I enjoy the bass prominence the most on this track. A bit more of a mid-tempo feel-good rock track. Minimum vocals, it reads like a well-constructed interlude, with a spoken ‘welcome to the show, everybody’ at the end. There’s a menacing Santana moment from the guitar at 2:33, which is held for 20 seconds with nerve! I need to wipe my own brow after that!

Bleed is next, opening with a minor chord and feel. I like the Minor 9 added into the structures for the verses. The stripped-back verses work well to give the lyrics space. This is a very guitar driven song; it’s a decent track.

Red Suitcase. Wow, this track opens with roaring energy. This is obviously a live album with a direct feed from the sound desk: the positives: you capture a moment in time. The negatives: it doesn’t always capture what the audience would experience. But here, I can feel it! We are getting a driving bassline, balanced with a wonderfully punky crunch to the electric guitar, and lots of the top-end cymbals from the drums (shame lots of the bottom end of the drums are missing in the mix). Being live music, we are getting treated to a smashingly long guitar solo.

Kief is next: a low, ominous guitar opening on an up-tempo psychedelic rock-punk track. I love the use of the fretboard for more psychedelia and more attitude. The harmonic minor scale helps create the vibe, too. Great structured solos and sections. The song ends on the solo, cutting to spoken word. This is a favourite track for the delivery of the concept. This is what I want more of.

War is an interesting mix of the bassline from Led Zeppelin’s ‘Stairway to Heaven’ and the lyrics from Edwin Starr’s ‘War (what is it good for)?’ In 1969.  Of course, the culture, mood and feel are synonymous with 2026, so it works seamlessly. Lots of major chords to power the energy up. The guitar has a lovely crunch to it again. We have a lush, long main guitar solo to enjoy. I sit on the other side of the Atlantic, but this post-punk protest song RINGS TRUE with the cultural zeitgeist of America today. Beth’s vocals are unfussy, kind of bob-Dylan style, delivered, and are used as a vehicle for message and tone. For live music, Beth Isbell does not make mistakes and offers solid delivery throughout the record. I really enjoyed the jazzy 60’s breakdown at the end, too.

Hey Humbold! Is next, which opens with a more introspective guitar riff, more restraint, lower tempo. This is a welcome contrast to the previous two tracks. I can tell that thought has been given to song order. There’s another fantastic guitar solo (a bit further back in the mix with lots of reverb), giving the bass some space to manoeuvre. The verses to this track really feel like a modern Bob Dylan. I love how Beth sings ‘take my life away, Ray’ and the guitarist takes the cue and delivers to perfection. Heavily held by the guitar, this track feels like the apocalypse is nigh. The compression is working a little too hard on this track, which is a shame: I bet this is an absolute wall of sound when heard live. A great track.

Old Man River is a short track from the same session: This is a more relaxed number with snare rim taps and less distortion on the guitar. The lyrics are delivered in a similar format to other songs: it might be nice to have more dynamism in vocal delivery from these quieter numbers: more air and vulnerability in the performance. This is a sweet, short number.

The namesake of the Live gig in Eureka is next: Pocketful of Posies. There is an audible bass from the drums in this track. The guitar is messy- but appropriate- and feels like it hits at 100 kilometres per hour. The ride hits on the drums are full, and give maximum sizzling energy. More soaring guitar solos, loads of crashing symbols: it’s a breathless track! The chorus to this one is really catchy, and I can see why it’s one of the title tracks. Pocketful of Posies has a wildness that delivers its concept perfectly. Not to be heard quietly.

The next track is Sleeping with the Enemy. Nice use of the wah pedal on the guitar: I’d use it a little harder, given I’m immersed in the late 60s-70s in my mind. There’s really effective repetition of the lyrics: it’s definitely an earworm! I can’t say the title without saying it in rhythm! This really does have the essence of systemic revolutionary rage. Kudos to the drummer who is refusing to speed up. Nice stripped-back guitar solo, but there is a distractingly clunky edit at 2:45 that could do with a fix. The lyrics land heavily on the beat every time. I think more attitude would be created if more nonchalance were paid to the beat to create more microgroove.

Love Away has a nice stripped-back feel with the drums doing some nice 12/8 feelings, and a guitar riff that feels a bit Wild Cherry to me. That percussive shuffle beat will always satisfy the listener. This is a more bluesy track, with another offering of a shredding guitar solo again. Beth could add more fry, crackle or growl to the voice to create more sonic variation, but the vocals really cut through really well in this track; it’s probably the best-balanced track, with a nice, tight ending.

Next, we have Liars, Judges and Thieves. This gives me a slight Duran Duran feel. I think the drums could lean into the double tempo harder. The lyrics are clearly delivered for its political connection to the audience. Catchy track, well structured, I think people will hook onto this one well. Love the ending chord too, it’s a little quirky.

All I Can Do is the last new track offered. I appreciate the bass having some solo opportunity, but again, I’m distracted by the guitar cutting through with a beautiful sound to it, utilising harmonics and reverb to perfection. The guitar could be lower in the mix; there is plenty of space for it, so it doesn’t have to fight for attention. This track showcases the bass better than most. This is Redwood Revolutions ‘Little Wing (Jimi Hendrix). Tender and gentle with its instrumentation, it feels like drawing breath.

The next three tracks are repeats (non-radio edits). They’re enjoyable listens but are only distinct from prior versions due to the changes in lyrics; otherwise, they do not offer anything new for the listener. Redwood Revolution could remove the duplicate performances: 17 tracks is quite long, and All I Can Do is the perfect end to the record.

I like how some of the tracks are panned to the natural band member stage positioning. guitar to my left, bass to the right, vocals and drums more central. I bow down to lead guitarist Ray Triana: there is nowhere to hide through a sound desk feed, and the guitar is high in the mix throughout this record: luckily, his fretwork is impeccable, the solos excellent, and the energy is infectious! Really commendable delivery.

I think the band need more time to tighten up together. Whilst this record is cut quickly for public consumption with the clear tag of ‘Live’, I do believe that with the right production around it, Redwood Revolution could professionalise their delivery and still keep it raw and edgy. They wouldn’t need much addition in the studio, but being able to EQ and balance the instruments properly would enable the listener to really appreciate all the facets of the sound, particularly drum sound frequencies that are lost. I can’t wait to hear a studio album from them.

SCORE/Good-Excellent: Beth Isbell has done a commendable job in balancing the live gig desk feeds. I think this is music to capture the public mood of 2026, with clear skill and talent to portray it effectively. They are a new band, so this rating leaves plenty of space for the progression of their identity and sound over the coming year of gigging together. That rating will only go up, I am sure of it. Go see them live, and get ready to scream the lyrics back into the void of 2026.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

Follow Redwood Revolution:
Facebook
Visit Website