North Georgia country rocker Jacob Bryant releases his deluxe edition of Practice What I Preach exclusively to the UK today, via Snakefarm records, including bonus tracks and unreleased material. Here, we review the record and give our thoughts on this gutsy, gritty country rock record.
Jacob Bryant has established himself State-side as one to watch, with his gutsy blend of narrative country and straight Southern rock. On his debut album – Practice What I Preach – released today in a deluxe and expanded form via Snakefarm Records in the UK, he showcases the power of his sound, featuring five additional tracks, including ‘Save My Soul,’ ‘Don’t You Let Me Down Now’ and ‘Angels on Earth.’ Of the expanded version, Bryant says, “I’m so excited to begin working with Snakefarm Records / Universal! I’ve got a loyal and growing fan-base, and by joining forces with Snakefarm, I look forward to UK fans discovering my music!… I must say, ‘Practice What I Preach’ has been a great rollercoaster ride. We finished the album only to have the files stolen in a robbery at my producer’s house. Fortunately, we discovered back-up files at our mastering guru’s studio, so we didn’t lose everything! Two years of work saved!”
The journey to this point certainly hasn’t been an easy one, taking in tragedy, excess, physical and mental up and downs, plus the aforementioned robbery, but Bryant has sought and found redemption through music. The record and these deluxe tracks fully embody the soul of his gutsy Southern rock sound and his perseverance. It’s the kind of record that even those who are not fans of Southern rock will love – rammed as much full of tender ballads (‘Best Part of Me Is You’) as it is hell-raising anthemic sounds (‘Pain, Pain’) – an incredibly high calibre record that will be loved by fans of Eric Church and Brantley Gilbert. Bryant doesn’t shy away from his demons on the record (‘More Than One Year’) – laying his pain on thick with heavy guitar and gritty lyrics and sounds that invite the listener into his inner psyche and struggles. Bryant’s vocal throughout is faultless – just look at the gritty tenor he reaches on ‘Pour Whiskey On My Grave,’ with its bombastic, heavy rock elements to the softer, smoother sounds of ‘Sometimes I Pray.’ He faultlessly traverses the full range of the genre with ease.
‘Don’t You Let Me Down Now’ is the first track on the deluxe version of the record and it is surprisingly tender, raw and real. The yearning on Bryant’s vocal is moving, before moving into a ramping up guitar and drum beat that ratchets up the tempo. The vocal range that he hits is astonishing, yet he manages it with ease. More pensive yet is the following track ‘Tell Me,’ that is a more traditional sounding country song, stripped back to let his vocal shine through to full capacity as he pleads with a lover. ‘Save My Soul’ is a straight-up heavy Eric Church-esque Southern rock track that masters dynamics, letting the listener ride its waves – a head-banging track that will be a phenomenon in its live narration.
‘This Side of Sober’ is a moving track that falls into Dierks Bentley-esque territory – a track about being unable to see a life without alcohol, it’s moving, raw, real and authentic and will speak to many. Finally, the deluxe edition ends with ‘Angels on Earth’ – another loving ode to a partner, a big, bold and gutsy track praising the ground she walks on. Bryant has already made a name for himself in the US and with this deluxe edition he firmly establishes himself as one to watch in the UK – let us hope that it won’t be too long before the live circuit returns so that he can showcase his talents and win over legions of UK fans.
