(Hello Wendy) An acclaimed Americana and roots rock/pop singer, songwriter, and producer (he operates EAR Studio), JM Stevens returns three years after his well-received solo debut, Invisible Lines. The new collection, the 10-song Nowhere to Land is an overall mellower, more vulnerable record than its predecessor, though still speckled with some up-tempo rockers. It's a thoughtful album further set apart by Stevens' nuanced songcraft, intimate vocals, and organic production. The album will be released on April 12, 2024.
DittyTV praised Stevens as, "In that sweet spot of pop-rock represented by guys like Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, John Cafferty, Tom Petty, [and] Don Henley," while The Big Takeover noted how his "Supremely tasteful arrangements keep excess far at bay." "The majority of these songs sound as if they've been lingering in the ethos forever," said Goldmineof Stevens' solo debut. "Uncannily familiar yet edgy enough to catch immediate attention and resonate well beyond."
Stevens grew up in West Point, Mississippi, immersed in Delta blues, Elvis Presley, and '70s/'80s AM radio. Inspired by his mother, an accomplished church singer and pianist, and older brother Rogers' success as guitarist for Blind Melon, he started his first band at age 12.
Tracking with a trusted band of local ringers and producing/mixing himself, Stevens retained a rare visceral energy on Nowhere to Land. Players include Uncle Lucius luminaries Jonny "Keys" Grossman (keyboards) and Doug Strahan (guitars); drummer George Duron (Jon Dee Graham, Roky Erickson) and bassist-about-town Dave Wesselowski. Throughout, exquisite harmonizing from lauded Austin folk singer BettySoo underlines the poignancy of key lines, with further cultured contributions from Shinyribs member and longtime Robert Earl Keen bandmate Marty Muse (resonator, pedal steel) and a guest spot on the darkly wistful "Cobwebs" from fiddler/vocalist Beth Chrisman (The Carper Family, Lost Patterns).
In Stevens own words: "With Nowhere to Land, I want people to feel like, whatever they may be going through, they're not alone," he concluded. "And it'd be really cool if a phrase or melody somewhere along the way gives someone chill bumps like all the music I love does to me; that it sparks a memory - and maybe it's a good one."
JM Stevens Announces New Album 'Nowhere To Land'
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