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Liam St. John has found stability, success, and some normalcy since his career trajectory skyrocketed following his 2021 single “Dipped in Bleach.” It was the first time St. John was completely open and honest in his songwriting, and it quickly became the biggest track he ever released. On his debut studio LP, Man of the North, he brings that formula to each and every track. He’s focused and thriving in Nashville in a way he never could have imagined just a few years back, but that comfort has no impact on the rawness, immediacy, and vulnerability that imbues every aspect of Man of the North. The lightning-fast charge that turned “Dipped In Bleach” into a hit showed St. John how quickly fortunes in this game can change. Just because the horizon shines brightly with Man of the North, one of alt-rock’s great 2025 debuts, doesn’t mean the Washington-born songwriter is taking things easy. Rather, he’s pushing harder than ever before, mining his rocky childhood, unpredictable 20s, and multiple deep relationships to turn in a truly staggering artistic statement. 

“For four years, I had been writing songs that in one way or another addressed the roots of me,” said St. John. “Songs about my childhood, being raised by a single mother (not having a father figure). Songs that dig into my relationship with religion, and how it impacted my mental health. Songs that reveal my battles with depression and the ways I chose to cope with that, namely, alcohol and drug abuse. Songs that dig deep into my relationships - the good, the bad, and the ugly, and songs that try to paint a picture of the beautiful land I am from (the north west). One day in November of 2023, I sat down in my writing room as I always do, I closed my mind and opened my mouth and this is what came out: ‘I’m cold and I’m haggard, I’m weathered and worn, I’m rough on the outside and inside I’m torn.’ ‘Man Of The North’ was written that day. It glued all of the songs from the past four years together, and all of a sudden, I no longer had a bunch of individual songs, but a cohesive album about the roots of me. Where I come from, who I come from, and what I come from.” 

Each track on Man Of The North digs deeper into the roots of St. John, especially the title track, which kickstarts with a fiddle line straight out of the 1890s before ramshackle percussion, slippery slide guitar, and St. John’s powerful voice give the song a swaggering edge.  

“So use me for shade from the blistering sun / And shelter and warmth when the blizzards do come,” he sings, before adding: “I’m steady and sure through the heaviest of storms / You can bend but you will never break / A Man of the North.” It’s a rallying cry for St. John, a reminder of all that he’s endured to make it as both a person and songwriter. “I’m from the city of Spokane, Washington. It’s situated between the Rockies and the Cascades, just outside Washington’s high desert. When I think of Spokane, I think of a city built on resilience. Because of her geographical location, the weather she braves is chaotic and polarizing. I think of the pines, and how much they endure throughout the seasons. And, like the environment we live in, I think the people of Spokane are just as resilient. Inevitably, life brings storms, and I’m grateful I come from a place where weathering storms is in our blood. Through bitter winds and smoky skies, the people of the north remain tough.” 

Toughness is the one trait that has defined St. John throughout the countless lows of his early years, like dealing with the unforeseen consequences of growing up with an absent father. It strengthened his relationship with his mother and his sisters, a camaraderie that has pushed him to keep writing and keep working to this day—even when success didn’t seem so inevitable. “I've been able to weather some storms because of where I’m from and who I'm from. I’m from a resilient mother. I’m from a resilient city,” he says. 

That indomitable spirit makes its way into all of Liam’s writing. “Greyhound Bus Blues,” which features GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist/singer Molly Tuttle, initially strikes as a high energy, toe-taping hit, while the frank lyrics explore his journey from Oregon to Nashville, and the demons he may or may not have been running from. “Devil in Disguise,” a pre-release single he recorded with Houndmouth, is also one that’s hauntingly personal and introduces the outlaw country and rollicking folk stylings that course through the album. 

“We were on tour and had a week off between shows and rented a cabin out in the mountains of Montana,” explains St. John about how “Devil in Disguise” came to be. “I was expecting to write some songs, but I wasn't expecting to confront some of the darkest thoughts and scariest demons I've ever confronted while writing,” he adds with a chuckle. Through to the other side, he’s able to appreciate the aggravating experience that produced one of his strongest songs to date. “It really took me through the wringer, but it's one of the songs I'm most proud of.” 

On the track, he reckons with the man he wants to be and the things he wants to do versus the mistakes he’s made in the past. “We get caught up in who we think we are, and then you got to look at the facts and be like, ‘Oh, fuck, I got some shit to work on.’” It’s this honesty and rawness—coupled with levity—that has helped St. John build his adoring fanbase. Couple that with the music, which sounds like a stunning live performance around a campfire, and it’s clear why this is one of Liam’s favorite songs he’s written. 

Despite the intensity and passion Liam brings to the project, he still dashes plenty of his infectious humor and approachability into the album, as reflected in tracks like “Sweet Like,” an ode to love. It’s a song that emerged from his peculiar morning ritual of perking up his intense coffee with a dash or two of sweetness. “Black coffee's pretty bitter, but when you put some honey in it, it’s pretty tasty. That got me wanting to write a love song, which isn’t something I usually do,” he explains.  

Perhaps that’s why he backs the lyrical performance with shredding guitars and arena-ready drums…The instrumental provides a clever counterbalance to the sugary sweet lyrics. “I met my girlfriend after a time when we had both gone through some really tough shit. The moment we met each other it was just a revelation,” he explains. “I wanted to write a song that shows what can happen after finding the right person.” 

This, to a certain extent, is what Man of the North is all about. Liam St. John is telling his story, but he’s also offering wisdom for any listener who may be discouraged, struggling, or doubting that things can get better. He screams from the top of Mount Rainier that you will get through it, that things can turn around in an instant. Just look at his story. “I've got a better relationship with myself now, and I'm surrounded by people who are incredibly important to me here in Nashville. I’ve finally found a home” he explains. Community and self-confidence illuminate a path forward for Liam St. John on Man of the North. Luck may wax and wane, but it’s a hell of a lot easier to control if you’re always working on getting better.