Angel

Hey there, Zoo Freaks, settle in for a minute while the Zoo Crew spins this one out for you. We got "Angel" by Goodbye June rolling from their album Deep in the Trouble, and man, this track hits that sweet spot where the riffs grind just right and the vocals stretch out like a long ride on a open highway. Those three cousins out of Nashville, Landon Milbourn on the lead vocals with that gritty roar, Tyler Baker tearing it up on guitar, and Brandon Qualkenbush holding it all down on the multi-instrument side, they know how to pour soul into the blues-rock without getting too polished. Listeners who dig the deep cuts from the seventies feel right at home here, with that mix of southern grit and hard-driving energy that makes you want to crank it up and ride.

Now, some of the interesting bits floating around from interviews and the way the boys talk about their work, "Angel" stands out on the record as one of those tracks that feels like a plea wrapped in a groove. The lyrics have Landon down on his knees, calling out for that one he trusts, hands held high, loving free and divine, almost like he's reaching through the clouds for something to catch him when he's falling. Reviews from the rock sites have pointed out how it carries that Greta Van Fleet kind of vocal fire, but rooted in their own southern rock and blues muscle, not copying anyone. The whole album Deep in the Trouble came out independently in June of 2024, and the title itself pulls from a line in "Pile of Bones," which ties into the heavy personal stuff the band was carrying. Tyler has talked in chats about how the record digs into the highs and lows of love, family, and life on the road, and this one fits right in as a moment of raw yearning amid the heavier tones.

The stories around the album run deeper because of real life hitting hard. Early in 2024, Tyler lost his father David in a gas explosion at the family home, and that meant Landon and Brandon lost their uncle too, since the three are all first cousins. It shook the whole crew, and they channeled a lot of that into the songs. "Pile of Bones" became something of an emotional farewell, with the video filmed right in the ruins of that house, no acting, just sitting with the grief. Tyler has said in interviews that his dad had called the song one of his favorites before it all happened, and making that video with a longtime collaborator who knew the family helped the whole group process it together. The album itself was a self-release, no middleman, so the pain and the power went straight out to the listeners. "Angel" sits in the middle of that journey, offering that sense of rescue and belief when things get deep in the trouble.

To get how the artist got started, you gotta go back to the family roots and a hard turn that brought them together. The three cousins grew up with church music running through everything. Landon's dad led the choir, Brandon's father was a Pentecostal preacher traveling the Bible Belt, and Tyler's side had him playing country hymns on guitar while his own dad spun Creedence Clearwater Revival and ZZ Top records at home. Tyler came up in a double-wide trailer in southern Indiana so rural it barely had an address, mowing graveyards for money as a kid, riding motorcycles, playing in the creek. Landon got pushed hard by his choirmaster father to sing, even matching Whitney Houston melodies when he was little, though he hated getting up in front of people at first. Brandon's upbringing reflected that traveling ministry life. They all jammed in church settings from young ages, but it stayed casual until June of 2005.

That's when Tyler's brother, PFC Shane Baker, who was home on leave from the military, died in a car accident. The cousins came together at the family place in southern Indiana to grieve, and in those weeks they started writing songs as a way to get through it. Music became the healthy release that helped them heal and move forward. They named the band Goodbye June to honor that memory and mark what brought them together. Brandon has said that if Shane hadn't passed, he probably would have stuck with painting instead of chasing music full time. They kept writing in Tyler's basement, took demos to a local studio, and played shows. By 2009 they all packed up and moved to Nashville to get serious, leaving the church market behind after years of booking their own youth conference gigs. Their first Nashville show was an acoustic set at a place called Fulton Quarter around 2010. From there the fiery live shows built a reputation in Music City, leading to the independent debut album Nor the Wild Music Flow in 2012, then the major label push with Magic Valley in 2017 after winning an unsigned competition and signing with Interscope. They toured Europe early, shared stages with acts like ZZ Top and Greta Van Fleet, and kept growing through albums like Community Inn and See Where the Night Goes, which hit number one on the UK rock chart. Deep in the Trouble continues that independent spirit, with the cousins still the core, pouring in the gospel fire from their upbringing mixed with classic rock hunger.

The boys have always talked about wanting songs that feel good on acoustic first, that carry grit and substance, the kind you can play at a gathering and feel the soul. Influences run from AC/DC and Led Zeppelin to the Black Keys and Hendrix, but it all comes filtered through that family and church foundation, the shout-beats and the volume of those old services mirroring the energy of a rock gig. They have placed tracks in sports broadcasts and games over the years, but the heart stays in the live shows and the records that dig personal. For Zoo Freaks who want to dig more into the band, check their official site at goodbyejune.com where you can catch tour news and merch tied to the album. Catch them on Facebook at Goodbye June, Instagram at goodbyejune, and over on X at GoodbyeJune for updates straight from the cousins. And of course, keep it locked here on THE ZOO where the Crew keeps spinning the real rock without the noise. This "Angel" keeps calling, and we are right there with it.