We had the pleasure of interviewing Jamestown Revival over Zoom video!

Jamestown Revival have made the quietest record of their career with Young Man, yet it may resonate the most. Recorded in their home state of Texas, it is their first project without electric guitars, with the emphasis instead on skillful songwriting, flawless harmony, and intricate fingerpicking. In addition, it’s the first time that bandmates Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance have created an album with a producer -- in this case, Robert Ellis, a fellow Texan and a recording artist in his own right.

Sonically the album draws on inspirations such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Doobie Brothers (particularly “Black Water”), yet there’s also a dusty Western feel to Young Man, similar to a Guy Clark or Townes Van Zandt album where the detailed backdrop and acoustic arrangements convey the story as eloquently as the lyrics do..

Young Man opens with “Coyote,” a plaintive ballad the duo wrote on their ranch near Huntsville, Texas, about an hour north of their hometown of Magnolia. With its lonesome tones and sly title character, it sets the tone for the album, pulling in listeners with blended voices and a narrative that befits a campfire setting. From there, songs like “Young Man,” “Moving Man,” “Northbound,” and especially “These Days” further explore their restless frame of mind, due in no small part to the pandemic.

Chance and Clay envision Young Man as a collection of songs that should be played all the way through, like reading a book. “We had the most amazing time recording this album. We laughed nonstop,” Clay says. “When I listen to this album top to bottom, I’m really proud of what we did. I hope that this album transports people because it’s like a time capsule. It takes us right back to that studio and to that couple of weeks. It felt like we were doing what we were meant to do.”

ABOUT JAMESTOWN REVIVAL:

Jamestown Revival deliver skillful songwriting, flawless harmony, and intricate fingerpicking on their newest album, Young Man. The project is their first without electric guitars and their first to be recorded in a studio. Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance forged a musical bond as teenagers growing up in Magnolia, Texas. They draw musical inspiration from groups like Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and The Doobie Brothers, as well as songwriters such as Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. With themes like coming of age and settling into an identity, Young Man is envisioned as a collection of songs that should be played all the way through. Sonically, the album evokes the experience of musicians huddled together, singing and playing without headphones or click tracks. Chance and Clay are joined on the Young Man sessions by producer Robert Ellis and the band’s longtime rhythm section of bassist Nick Bearden and drummer Ed Benrock.

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