Childhood best friends Link Neal and Rhett McLaughlin have been uploading to YouTube as a comedy duo since 2006, and started their daily comedy show Good Mythical Morning in 2012. My dad and I first found Good Mythical Morning in 2014, and ever since it has been a weekly tradition to catch up on episodes each Thursday night. We even visited their hometown of Buies Creek, North Carolina this past year and stopped at all of the “landmarks” they’ve mentioned in their videos—a journey we entitled “The Good Mythical Hometown Tour.” Some of my favourite memories with my dad have been spent laughing around a TV screen at Rhett and Link, and I still find a lot of enjoyment in their videos even now. Needless to say, I’m a big fan of Rhett McLaughlin, and his solo music project James and the Shame is not an exception to this.

Rhett, under the stage name of James and the Shame, released his first single, “Believe Me” in July 2022, and his debut solo album Human Overboard in September 2022. Prior to these releases, he had only released comedy music with Link Neal, but had always outwardly shown his love for making and listening to music.

On November 3rd, 2023, James and the Shame released a new EP titled Nothing Left To Lose, a country folk album that draws heavy inspiration from older-era country musicians like Merle Haggard. With tracks about inexplicable love for his partner, mental health struggles, and family relationships, Rhett’s second record didn’t disappoint.

The fifth track, “Heavy”, is a dark outlier from the more folky songs on the rest of the album. Rhett shows off his lower register in this track, and provides a vulnerable perspective on spirituality—a journey that he has been very public about since early 2020. Having grown up in rural North Carolina, he was a part of a very religious community and held Christian-based beliefs until his more recent years of adulthood. His change in alignment with the church is illustrated in the fourth verse, specifically in the lines “I have tasted and I have seen / That truth didn't set me free”. The final line of the chorus is “but we’ve got a lot of loving left to do”, which directly contrasts with the title track “Nothing Left to Love”. 

Rhett’s natural twang in his voice is showcased in “Nothing Left to Love” and “I Think I’m Supposed to Like This”, which are incidentally my two favourites. Despite covering the entirely different subjects of masking mental health struggles and coping with others changing when they gain fame, both tracks have a similar upbeat sound that I always find myself leaning towards. Link Neal, Rhett’s comedic partner, is also featured as a background vocalist on the latter track, which—as an openly biased consumer and Link Neal enthusiast—solidified my love for the song.

Contrary to my first impression of the title, “Small Man” is not a new short king anthem from a 6’5” giant, but rather a punch-in-the-gut set to acoustic guitar. The heartbreakingly honest final track about a tragically distant relationship with a grandfather is sure to leave you teary-eyed.

My almost decade-long love for Rhett and his other projects has most likely influenced my opinion, but I truly enjoyed this album. Though I’m not typically a country fan, James and the Shame’s EP had just the right amount of twang for my liking, and I would totally recommend it to anyone who likes folk music and is willing to try something a bit more Western. And hey, while you’re trying new things, I would also suggest watching an episode or two of Good Mythical Morning with your dad, if you can—you won’t regret it.