Buck Meek – ‘The Mirror’ album review: Meditative honesty
The Mirror is an album of confrontation. Buck Meek’s fourth solo collection spans the many ways in which we, as humans, are forced to reckon with ourselves: sometimes, the way a lover sees us; other times, the way we face ourselves in the mirror each day. What do these various reflections say about who we are, at our cores? There may not be a clear answer, but Meek sets out to find one.
The Skinny: On ‘Ring of Fire,’ a lullaby of a song on The Mirror, Buck Meek sings of music living in his soul, and rock ‘n’ roll existing in his blood, lamenting the years in which he spent bleeding for it. “But all that love I’ve found in the sound and the songs,” he sings, “I’m saving for my girl back home.”
Meek’s previous album, 2023’s Haunted Mountain, tackled various forms of love. The Mirror–literally–hears Meek turn toward himself, dissecting old habits, personal thought patterns and various other facets with a meditative honesty. Where pain and discomfort rise to the surface, love remains a constant anchor. ‘Can I Mend It?’ questions how long this anchor will hold, looking back on moments of violence and dishonesty, “the dark side of my soul,” as Meek calls it. How can we fix the pain we’ve inflicted upon others, when the effects have already taken their hold? With lines like, “You see my beauty in the dark,” love may act as a reprieve.
As established in his guitars in the indie folk band Big Thief, Meek is aware of and indebted to the folk traditions that came before him, crafting his version of Americana with country-rock stylings that come to fruition, as folk often does, with the help of his friends. The cast of voices and instruments.
He enlistshis Big Thief bandmates James Krivchenia and Adrianne Lenker (on production and instrumentals, and vocals, respectively), his brother, Dylan, on keyboards, to frequent collaborators Adam Brisbin (guitars), Ken Woodward (bass) and Jolie Holland (vocals and whistles). They elevate The Mirror into an album that honours its folk roots while expanding into broader territories. ‘Pretty Flowers,’ a reflection on beauty hidden in the mundane, has a soft rock melody with a pop hook, while electric guitars run wild on ‘Soul Feeling’ and ‘Worms,’ both invoking a Southern rock tune.
Meek’s devotion to music—the study, perfection and reinvention of it – shines not just in the versatility of his and his cohort’s musicianship, but in his songwriting, communicating straightforward poetry that, like many great folk songs, reflect a universal tone. On ‘Demon,’ Meek’s mirror wholly reflects the “other” within himself, his demon that refuses to be exorcised as it weaves its way into every source of comfort: writing, singing, romance. “I taught him how to read, now I’m teaching him to write,” Meek sings, the contrast between his true self and the “other” becoming harder to differentiate.
But, not all hope is lost: there is a nod to his friend, the late Tucker Zimmerman, in a line that Meek “stole” from him, “The more I learn the less I know.” He follows with the assertion, “The line between us all is thin,” acknowledging that the human spectrum, however varied, is held within us all.
The Verdict: The Mirror reflects on the many facets we carry within ourselves, as Meek parses through his past to attempt to find who he truly is. With love as an underlying thread, he reveals that even in the darkness, there is something to look forward to.
Standout Track: ‘Ring of Fire’
Release Date: February 27, 2026 | Producer: James Krivchenia | Label: 4AD
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