I have not had the greatest week-end due to one thing or another, but here we are on Sunday evening and my son is watching the World Cup Final (our Segovia connections mean we are supporting Spain on this occasion). I’m giving it a miss and turning to music instead for my entertainment!
First up this evening is the new single from UK country rock outfit Wood Burnt Red, whose forthcoming album, “Hold On Tight,” is scheduled for release on September 4, 2026. After this, I’m either reading a little more of my current book (Phantasma by Kaylie Smith) or indulging in a late-night viewing of Carry On Screaming! to round the weekend off in suitably eccentric fashion.
Wood Burnt Red are:
Tom Franklin – Lead Vocals & Guitar Rob Graney – Lead Guitar Russ Staples – Bass Guitar Ed Baldwin – Drums
The Press Release
Fresh from the momentum of their acclaimed single “Simple Place,” Wood Burnt Red are shifting into top gear. “Fire Me Up” is a high-octane burst of Southern rock energy — relentless, anthemic and built to move — with the kind of chorus that pounds in your chest and makes you want to kick off your shoes!
Driving riffs, an unstoppable rhythm and frontman Tom Franklin’s powerhouse baritone vocals combine to create a track that is as much a statement of intent as it is a stone-cold anthem.
The new single marks a significant milestone for the band — their first co-write with Nashville-based producer Tyler Spicer, the creative force behind “Simple Place.” The collaboration sparked something immediate: the melody arrived instantly, the lyrics followed naturally, and what emerged was one of the most effortless — yet most powerful — songs Wood Burnt Red have ever recorded.
With lyrics such as “fire me up and watch me go / foot to the floor, I’ll keep running on down the road / you can take that to the bank, I’ve got plenty more left in the tank,” make no mistake, “Fire Me Up” is a heat-sensitive track that burns with conviction from the very first note.
“We can’t wait for this track to come out,” says Wood Burnt Red frontman Tom Franklin. “It’s the first song we co-wrote with our incredible producer Tyler Spicer. This collaboration felt like something special from day one. Fire Me Up is a big, heartfelt message to everyone who ever told us we were wasting our time chasing an unrealistic dream. Tyler brought us this idea he had written with us in mind. We instantly loved it, rocked it up, and everything fell into place. The melody and lyrics came naturally. It was one of the easiest songs we have recorded, and we genuinely think it is one of the best.”
My Review
Released on July 17, 2026, “Fire Me Up” is now available across all major streaming platforms.
Think burnt-out rubber and gasoline. Think endless highways, big rigs, warm summer nights and a soundtrack with more than a passing nod towards the swagger of ZZ Top. That’s the world Wood Burnt Red create here, and it’s one worth climbing aboard.
Built around chunky guitar riffs, Tom Franklin’s commanding vocals and a rhythm section that never seems to lift its foot from the accelerator, this is a song that feels tailor-made for open roads and festival stages alike. There’s plenty of Southern rock attitude, but enough melody to ensure it never becomes style over substance.
One of the track’s strengths comes around the 2:10 mark, when the bass and drums dig in with renewed purpose, injecting fresh momentum just when you think you know where the song is heading. It’s a clever arrangement that keeps the energy building rather than simply repeating itself.
Packed with musical horsepower, “Fire Me Up” is ultimately a song about determination, resilience and proving the doubters wrong. The lyrics feel authentic, and that sincerity gives the chorus an extra lift.
If this single is anything to go by, “Hold On Tight” promises to be an album well worth looking forward to this September. Wood Burnt Red have delivered a confident, energetic release that should appeal to fans of modern country rock while retaining enough classic influences to satisfy those who like their guitars with a little Southern grit.
And unlike some football finals… this track is definitely not goalless. Turn the volume up, hit the open road and let Wood Burnt Red fire you up.
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