Sounds on Sunday featuring new music from Sean McConnell, Steve Hewitt and Cris Jacobs
A selection of new musical offerings ideal for a relaxed Sunday.
‘Skin,’ is the title track from singer/songwriter Sean McConnell's latest album, which will be released on February 28th, 2025. ‘Skin’ finds the acclaimed Nashville-based artist at his most reflective, as he takes stock of his life as a father, husband, friend, artist and human being. “I just want to be at home in my skin. There’s no peace without if there’s a war within. There’s no rest that I can see. When you’re your own worst enemy” he sings. February can’t come around soon enough if ‘Skin’ is anything to go by.
“SKIN, to me, is kind of where I’m at on my journey with being comfortable in your skin, in your physical body. Divinity is in flesh and bone, not just in heaven somewhere, someday, Lyrically, the humanness of skin is obviously apparent, but I’m always attracted to this meeting of body and spirit, flesh and spirit.”
Over the course of the last 20 years, Sean McConnell has resided within two music careers. He has been a sought-after songwriter and co-writer/collaborator, working with the likes of country stars such as Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Martina McBride, Brantley Gilbert and Brothers Osborne, as well as artists from other genres ranging from Hayes Carll and Lori McKenna to Michael Franti and Plain White T’s to Bethany Cosentino (Best Coast). On the other side of that musical duality, he’s an acclaimed solo artist who possesses an incredible voice and has created a revered and impressive body of work filled with songs that cross styles and subject matters, while remaining thoughtful, melodic and relatable. McConnell has garnered critical praise and a loyal audience that connects with his music and live performances.
Back on this side of the Atlantic we travel to Edenbridge in Kent (England) and catch up with independent singer and songwriter Steve Hewitt. Steve has been steadily building a following over the last few years with numerous support slots and festival appearances. Some readers might remember an excellent single ‘Fly’ from a couple of years ago. Steve has re-united with his debut album producer Paul West Productions for his latest collection of material shaping the crowd-funded 'Never Two Days The Same' LP due for release in 2025. Check out the video for the single ‘Cold World’ which is both lyrically and visually very much in keeping with the world we live in.
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Cris Jacobs has recently released a wonderful, lightning-in-a-bottle, rendition of Lucinda Williams’ ‘Fruits Of My Labor’ with Jerry Douglas. The impromptu recording took place while the two were working on materials to promote Jacobs’ critically acclaimed album One Of These Days, which Douglas produced. If you’re lucky enough to be in the USA, Cris Jacobs is on tour now and the dates are below.
“Fruits of My Labor” is one of my desert island songs. Lucinda’s version knocked me out instantly, I listened to it on repeat until I knew every word. The lyrics, the melody, the suggestive metaphors, and her inimitable delivery make it a perfect song. One day while in Nashville doing some promo and press with Jerry for my new record, I just started playing it as we were packing up. We had some mics set up anyway and some folks around to record it on their phone. I don’t think Jerry had ever even heard it. We just played it once and that’s what you hear.”
Cris Jacobs Fall 2024 Tour Dates
October 23 – Charlotte, NC – Visulite Theatre
October 24 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
October 25 – Macon, GA – Grant’s Lounge
October 26 – Charleston, SC – The Deck Stage at The Charleston Pour House
November 7 – Cohoes Music Hall – Cohoes, NY
November 8 – New York, NY – The Cutting Room
November 9 – Burlington, VT – Nectar’s
November 10 – Fairfield, CT – StageOne at FTC
November 11 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
November 14 – Buffalo, NY – Buffalo Iron Works
November 15 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop
November 19 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi
November 20 – Evanston, IL – SPACE
November 21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Café
November 22 – Washington, D.C. – The Atlantis
November 23 – Philadelphia, PA – The Lounge at World Café Live
To quote John Surge, “These five songs represent a real cross-section of the music we make”. John is referencing a new EP aptly titled, ‘Maybe You Don’t Know Me’. The ‘Almost Time’ album from last year was well received, but Surge still had a host of material that wasn’t quite right for that record but worked well in his live set. A live set that had gotten John noticed on the LA country scene in the first place. Surge re-connected with highly regarded Texas producer Tommy Detamore {Doug Sahm, Jim Lauderdale, Sunny Sweeney, Jesse Daniel} and reenlisted many of the ‘Almost Time’ crew including his right-hand Haymaker guitarist Randy Volin, plus Brennen Leigh on harmony vocals, Brad Fordham (Dave Alvin/Hayes Carll) on bass, Tom Lewis (Junior Brown/Raul Malo) on drums and Floyd Domino (Asleep at the Wheel, Merle Haggard) on keyboards.