Robert Jon & The Wreck Find New Heights on 'Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes'
- Stevie Connor
- 20 hours ago
- 4 min read
Southern California’s finest rock export, Robert Jon & The Wreck, are gearing up to release what could be their most definitive work to date. Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes, due August 22nd via Journeyman Records, marks the band’s ninth studio album, and with Grammy-winning producer Dave Cobb at the helm, it’s a project that pulses with raw emotion, cinematic urgency, and a band firing on all cylinders.
This record doesn’t just showcase a tight, road-tested outfit — it captures a moment. A moment of reinvention, of reflection, and of letting it all bleed through the speakers.
From the outset, you can feel the difference. Frontman Robert Jon Burrison describes the experience of recording in Savannah, Georgia, as “a true reflection” of who the band is now. Free from the distractions of their usual LA stomping grounds, the band lived and breathed this record from start to finish. The result? A collection of songs that feel as lived-in as they are visceral.
The lead single “Highway” is a blistering introduction — classic Wreck with a fresh twist. Twin guitar harmonies soar, the rhythm section locks in with undeniable groove, and Burrison’s vocals deliver a potent blend of longing and fire. Cobb’s signature touch pushes the track to new heights, layering nuance over grit. It’s no wonder the band calls it a favourite— what started as a loose sketch in an apartment has become a full-throttle anthem for the open road.
Throughout Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes, the band mines themes of love, loss, and redemption with a newfound vulnerability. Tracks like “Ashes in the Snow” and “Long Gone” (co-written with none other than John Oates) show a band unafraid to slow things down and sit with the ache, while the high-octane “Sittin’ Pretty” reminds us they haven’t lost a step when it comes to rock ’n’ roll swagger.
Guitarist Henry James notes that the album is "a candid musical reflection of who we are today," and that sentiment rings true in every note. Whether it’s camaraderie or estrangement, heartbreak or hope, Robert Jon & The Wreck lay it all bare — backed by Cobb’s seasoned instincts and a band clearly operating at its creative peak.
Mixing duties were handed to Greg Gordon (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell), and the soundscape is rich, textured, and full of dynamic punch. Each of the ten tracks feels like a standalone moment, yet they cohere beautifully into an album that plays like a journey — a soundtrack to late nights, long drives, and the kind of soul searching only great rock music can inspire.
With a major North American and European tour already underway — including festival slots at the likes of New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Hookrock, and Askena Rock — Heartbreaks & Last Goodbyes isn’t just a new album, it’s the next chapter in a story that’s far from over.
For fans and newcomers alike, this is Robert Jon & The Wreck at their best: passionate, powerful, and undeniably real.
Spring U.S and European Dates
April 15 - Hengelo, NL - Metropool
April 16 - Verviers, BE - Spirit of 66
April 17 - Affalter, DE - Zur Linde
April 18 - Seewen, CH - Gaswerk Eventbar
April 19 - Lyss, CH - Kufa
April 20 - Nürnberg, DE - Hirsch
April 24 - New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
April 26 - Edinburgh, UK - Liquid Room
April 27 - Holmfirth, UK - Picturedrome
April 29 - Hull, UK - The Welly
April 30 - Norwich, UK - Epic Studios
May 1 - Folkestone, UK - The Quarterhouse
May 2 - Venlo, NL - Grenswerk
May 3 - Groningen, NL - Groningen Rhythm & Blues Nights Festival
May 6 - Birmingham, UK - O2 Academy Birmingham
May 7 - Gloucester, UK - Guildhall
May 8 - Chester, UK - The Live Rooms
May 9 - Northampton, UK - Roadmender Northampton
May 10 - Portsmouth, UK - Guildhall Studio
June 13 - Naches, WA - Chinook Fest 2025
Summer European Dates
June 20 - Vitoria, ES - Askena Rock Festival
June 21 - Le Thor, FR - Le Sonograf
June 25 - Aschaffenburg, DE - Colos-Saal
June 26 - Herschbach, DE - Haus Hergispach
June 27 - Torgau, DE - Kulturbastion Torgau Open Air
June 28 - Hannover, DE - Blues Garage
June 30 - Koln, DE - Die Kantine
July 1 - Wurzburg, DE - Posthalle
July 2 - Marburg, DE - KFZ Marburg
July 3 - Weert, NL - De Bosuil
July 4 - Diepenbeek, BE - Hookrock Festival
July 5 - Amsterdam, NL - Melkweg
Summer U.S. Dates
August 1 - Fargo, ND - Fargo Blues Festival
August 2 - Lake View, IA - Stone Pier Summer Concert Series
August 3 - Hobart, IN - The Hobart Art Theater
August 5 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom
August 6 - Homer, NY - Center For The Arts of Homer
August 9 - Salisbury, MA - Blue Ocean Music Hall
August 12 - Waldoboro, ME - Waldo Theatre
August 13 - New York, NY - Sony Hall
August 14 - Ardmore, PA - Ardmore Music Hall
August 16 - Madison IN - Madison Ribberfest
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