Columbia Nashville/River House Artists breakout singer-songwriter Jameson Rodgers has today released his new EP – In It For the Money, fresh off his nomination for best new country artist at the 2021 iHeart Radio Music Awards. Here, we review the new EP by Jameson Rodgers – stream the new EP here.
Since the release of his breakout hit, ‘Some Girls,’ Jameson Rodgers has been a hot name on everyone’s lips, waiting for an extended project from the phenomenal singer-songwriter who has made a name for himself creating a commercial country sound that manages to bridge the gap between bro and boyfriend country, creating a slick sound that feels very current, yet unique. Underneath it all, Rodgers creates tracks with an authenticity that is immensely humility, not veering away from the more everyday topics, like on ‘Good Dogs.’ His new EP – In It For the Money – released today, showcases all that humility and polish that we have come to expect from Rodgers, highlighting his diversity as a songwriter and artist.
The project begins with the bombastic party song, ‘Cold Beer Calling My Name,’ on which he is joined by his label mate Luke Combs. It takes some guts to go up one of the biggest vocalists in country music right now, but Rodgers more than holds his own on this blisteringly fun and boisterous track. ‘There’s a pocket full of pay day green / And my baby putting sugar on me.‘ It’s a blue-collar celebration of the end of the working day and sets the bar high sonically for the rest of the project. Next, Rodgers dives into his major hit ‘Some Girls’ that takes the pace back a step. It’s a pensive track about the human experience in all its forms and emotions. ‘Some hearts stay broke / Some hearts don’t skip a beat / Some people say goodbye then try to make it alright / Just like you’re doin’ to me.’ It’s a moving track but devoid of cloying sentimentality, making it strike home yet more, and an idea he explores again in ‘Desert’ – a meandering track about the journey of life in all its forms, led by the refrain – ‘Life’s kinda crazy, can’t predict the weather, but the cold and the rain and the pain don’t last forever.’
Continuing his authentic songwriting, ‘In It For the Money’ is one of the most honest tracks we’ve heard of the artist experience. ‘If I was in it for the money, I’d have quit a long time ago.’ It’s a real take on the difficulties of grafting as an artist over the year, sonically experimental in the outdo thanks to the aid of a vocoder, it is everything a country song should be – honest and real, and incredibly human.
The bombastic sound we were introduced to on ‘Cold Beer Calling My Name’ is reintroduced on ‘Rolling Rock, Rolling Stones,’ a heavier head-banging track about living a freer life. ‘I love to dance with honky tonk women, hey hey na na, I love the taste of the suds I’m sipping.’ It’s a foot-stomping and catchy track that will be a sure fire hit in its live retelling, before Rodgers takes the pace back down a notch for his final two tracks. ‘When You Think of Mississippi’ is the most sentimental moment on the EP, a nostalgic track looking back on a relationship. ‘Do you ever miss me, when you think of Mississippi.’ It’s a trip back down memory lane and is immensely poignant – allowing Rodgers to showcase the nuances of his vocal. The project rounds out with the most humble track – ‘Good Dogs’ – a song about losing his beloved pet. ‘Good dogs, don’t live long enough.’ It underlines yet again the authenticity and humility of Rodgers as an artist just stepping into his confidence and stride. It’s an immensely rounded project, full of big stadium-ready tracks as much with poignant writers round ‘moments’ that will make audiences fall for Rodgers – this is an artist that you should bet your money on right now.
