Storytelling is something of a Texas tradition. Tall hats and even taller tales are woven into the fabric of The Lone Star State, and Waco native, now Nashville-based songwriter Jarrod Dickenson, can spin a yarn with the best of them. Known for his soulful vocals and ability to blend a variety of instruments and influences into one signature sound, Dickenson returns on May 22 with the release of his new album Ready The Horses. Today, American Songwriter premiered the first single, “Way Past Midnight,” and its accompanying animated music video, created by multi-faceted artist, director, and cinematographer Jefferson Elliott. As Dickenson’s personal album favorite, he describes the track’s dynamic layers as perfectly aligning in the studio. “This was one of those magical moments in the studio where everything just came together. It’s equal parts gospel and grease. It’s about late nights in seedy dive bars. The possibilities, the thrill, the chase… and the comedic reality of how those nights tend to end up,” Dickenson explains, “Recording this tune was pure, unadulterated joy.”
Ready The Horses was recorded live, straight to 2” tape in a studio on the southeast coast of England. Inspired by the legendary music of Stax and Muscle Shoals in the ‘60s, Ready the Horses is layered with slide guitar, Hammond organ swells, punchy horns, and infectious melodies; but lyrically, the ten songs on Ready The Horses illustrate Dickenson's honed writing skills and solidify his place as a truly charismatic Texas songwriter. From “Gold Rush”—a rowdy single that draws parallels between the greed in 1800s California and today’s Wall Street—to personal ballads about learning from your mistakes (“I Won’t Quit”) and a compelling duet with his wife (“Your Heart Belongs to Me”), Ready The Horses is dynamic enough to both make a statement and to make you dance.
Ready The Horses Track Listing:
1. Faint Of Heart
2. Take It From Me
3. Your Heart Belongs to Me
4. Way Past Midnight
5. In The Meantime
6. California
7. Gold Rush
8. A Cowboy & The Moon
9. Nothing More
10. I Won’t Quit
