'Troubled Paradise' - New Music from Tuk Smith & The Restless Hearts

Tuk Smith isn’t one to sit still.

After reclaiming his place in rock with 2024’s Rogue to Redemption, the Georgia-born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter is back with Troubled Paradise—a tightly wound four-song EP set to drop October 16, 2025, on his independent label, Gypsy Rose Records.

The release was officially announced this week alongside the debut of the title track, now streaming everywhere and accompanied by a mini-movie-style video.

In it, a bittersweet teenage love story plays out across stolen glances, missteps, and the inevitable heartache of growing up.

“Troubled Paradise,” both the song and the short film, sets the stage for what Tuk has described as a cinematic journey told in four parts.

While we won’t dig into the stylistic details just yet, one thing is clear: this isn’t a throwaway project—it’s another statement of intent from an artist who’s taken the long road more than once.

From Biters to Burnout to Building It Himself

Tuk Smith’s path to this moment hasn’t exactly followed the standard industry script.

Longtime fans will remember his days fronting the glam-tinged punk band Biters, who built a devoted following on the back of retro-charged riff rock and Smith’s natural charisma.

That buzz brought him to the doorstep of major label success, where he signed a solo deal with Better Noise Music and began prepping Lookin’ for Love, Ready for War—an album that never saw the light of day after the label pulled the plug.

For many, that might have been the end. Smith regrouped, relocated to Nashville, and launched his own imprint, Gypsy Rose Records.

In early 2024, he released Rogue to Redemption, a record that re-established him not only as a survivor but as a storyteller and songwriter willing to evolve without chasing trends.

Critics praised the album’s balance of punch and perspective, with MetalPlanetMusic.com highlighting its “huge hooks” and “1980s vibe,” while Distorted Sound Mag called it “a record that proves this band belongs on the big stage.”

Smith handled that record with care, assembling a trusted team around him. Grammy-winning engineer Chris Dugan (Green Day, Iggy Pop) brought out the detail in the mix, while his longtime collaborators Nigel Dupree (drums) and Matthew “Ponyboy” Curtis (bass) anchored the sound. Rogue to Redemption didn’t just reflect Smith’s resilience—it redefined it.

What We Know About the New Tuk Smith Release

Unlike its full-length predecessor, Troubled Paradise keeps things compact, unfolding across just four tracks: “Troubled Paradise,” “Runnin’ With the Wild Ones,” “Sadie Mae,” and “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.”

The EP is being billed as a cohesive story, with each song serving as a chapter in what Smith calls a “movie-like experience.”

Only the title track is currently available, but it’s already setting a tone.

While we’re avoiding deep analysis until the full EP drops, the visual and lyrical cues in the video suggest familiar emotional territory: dreams built and broken, hope cut with realism, and a rock-and-roll spirit that’s hard to extinguish.

Troubled Paradise will be released on October 16.

The band will also be touring in support of the EP, opening for Danko Jones in the UK this November, with additional dates expected to be announced soon.

A Short Release, A Long Story

What makes Tuk Smith a compelling figure in modern rock isn’t just the music—it’s the persistence.

In an era where artists often feel like algorithms in motion, Smith stands out as someone who’s had to rebuild more than once.

He doesn’t just sing about second chances—he’s lived them.

Listeners who appreciate artists like Butch Walker, especially his 2011 release The Spade, will likely find a similar emotional immediacy in Tuk’s work.

There’s also a thematic kinship with Get Hurt by The Gaslight Anthem, another record that explores the tension between vulnerability and resilience.

Fans of Lucero’s Among the Ghosts will recognize the same sense of Southern storytelling, while Jesse Malin’s Sad and Beautiful World shares a spiritual bond with Smith’s approach to writing about life’s bruises with grit and grace.

For those curious about Tuk’s earlier work, Electric Blood by the Biters remains a must-hear origin point that captures the swagger and promise that’s continued to evolve through his solo journey.

With Troubled Paradise, Tuk Smith isn’t rewriting his story—he’s refining it.

For anyone who believes rock still has a role to play in telling human stories with honesty, heart, and a few loud guitars, this EP will be worth the listen.

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