Nashville-based artist Will Jackson recently released his full-length album, Songs From the Briarpatch, a collection of delicious Americana music.
Explaining the album’s inspiration, Jackson shares, “‘Songs From the Briarpatch’ came into fruition after falling in love with the exploding Americana genre in Nashville, TN. There’s a little corner of music that’s always inspired me; not too heavy, not too soft, great melodies, and most importantly a heavy emphasis on well-written, thoughtful songwriting. After playing in various bands and trying to achieve this sound on a few projects, I feel that I’ve put out a release that truly reflects the artist that I am and want to develop. I’m grateful for anyone who listens and resonates with these songs.”
Born and raised in South Carolina, Jackson grew up listening to an eclectic array of music, including his dad’s classic rock, his mom’s musical theatre, his siblings’ alt-rock, and his friends’ taste for Top 40. At age 14, he walked away from his job at a waterpark to play his first paid gig. Since that moment, he’s never had a ‘real job.
Later, he attended the Berklee College of Music, followed by moving to Nashville, where he and a college friend formed a band for the Lower Broadway club strip in downtown Nashville. After playing more than one thousand shows, he developed his unique sound.
Embracing 10-tracks the album begins with “Looks Like Today,” opening on a gleaming guitar backed by an oozing organ. The contagious rhythm thrums with an enticing beat, as Jackson’s tenor, vaguely reminiscent of Tom Petty crossed with Don Henley, fills the lyrics with lush tones.
Entry points include “Good Enough,” rolling out on a Marc Cohn-like piano intro as Jackson’s bright, soaring voice imbues the lyrics with buoyant nostalgia. “There Was A Time” travels on a smooth, undulating rhythm, rippling with glistening guitars and a sparkling piano. Radiant vocal harmonies fill the tune with glowing colors.
Whereas “Gonna Get Me Killed” kicks it into overdrive, featuring a galloping country-rock melody accented by a luminous, braying organ, and an infectious rhythm. A blistering guitar solo gives the song incandescent, heady energy.
A chiming piano opens “Catch the Wind,” and then flows into glinting guitars forming a scintillating wall of coruscating sound. At once gentle yet powerful, this track vibrates with luscious washes of Eagle-like textures and Jackson’s affluent vocals.
Brimming with scrummy layers of alluring Americana, Songs From the Briarpatch is a gem of an album, one deserving of a vast audience of audiophiles.
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