Title - Just Woke Up
Artist - Jaret Ray Reddick
Critically-acclaimed Texas musician Jaret Ray Reddick’s debut country album, Just Woke Up (Brando Records/Que-So Records), is now available worldwide.
Just Woke Up is a sincere love letter to Texas and pays homage to the greats before him while giving a refreshing, unique spin on the genre, with one example being his single “One of the Good Ones”, which blends elements of both country and rock. Written by Reddick alongside Zac Maloy, the track is now at Texas Country Radio and is currently climbing the charts.
Jaret Ray Reddick might be a name you recognize, but his voice is one that pretty much everyone will know, whether it is from being the singer of pop-punk pioneers Bowling for Soup with hits like “1985,” “Girl All The Bad Guys,” or “High School Never Ends,” to voicing Chuck E Cheese or singing the theme to Disney’s long-running hit series Phineas and Ferb.
Born in Grapevine and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas, Reddick’s country roots run deep as his pride for the Lone Star State. His parents were Country music fans, and Willie, Waylon, and other classic country artists were on regular rotation at home. Music from fellow Texan The Red Headed Stranger and his outlaw friends would prove vital in his development as a musician and remain a crucial rock throughout his career.
Those familiar with his work as the front man of Grammy-nominated pop-punk band Bowling for Soup will find a familiar voice and sense of humor in the music and lyrics. The album features some special guests, most notably one of Reddick’s favorite musicians and good friend Frank Turner, who lends his vocals on “Drunk as It Takes.”
There’s also a cameo by Uncle Kracker on the album opener “Way More Country,” Descendents guitarist Stephen Egerton performs on “Natalie,” and Cody Canada of The Departed appears on “You and Beer.”
1. “Way More Country” (feat. Uncle Kracker)
2. “One of the Good Ones”
3. “Songs About Texas”
4. “Ohio” (Come Back to Texas)”
5. “Royal Family”
6. “Doggonit!”
7. “Drunk as It Takes” (feat. Frank Turner)
8. “You and Beer” (feat. Cody Canada)
9. “Natalie” (feat. Stephen Egerton)
10. “My Truck Up and Left Me”
11. “Back In 83”
12. “The Bitch Song”
Opening on the free flowing country pop of “Way More Country” (featuring Uncle Kracker) and the euphorically-charming ode to love within “One of the Good Ones” and backs those up with the mid-tempo balladry of “Songs About Texas,” the easy breezy, Bowling for Soup poem to “Ohio” (Come Back to Texas),” the family tribute within “Royal Family” and then comes the gently rambunctious “Doggonit!”
Up next is the lonesome yearn within “Drunk as It Takes” (featuring Frank Turner) and the mid-tempo barn twirler “You and Beer” (featuring Cody Canada of The Departed) and follows them up with the finger-snapping one minute, down and gritty rocker the next “Natalie” (feat Descendents guitarist Stephen Egerton), the tongue in cheek storytelling within “My Truck Up and Left Me,” the album rounding out on the melodious pop rock of “Back In 83,” closing out on another Bowling for Soup cut, the now countrified twang of “The Bitch Song.”
Reddick spoke about the album, saying, "Making this album is a long time coming for me. And part of all of that was being able to write songs from the heart and not hold back. ‘One Of The Good Ones’ is a song written with a few folks in mind and how much they mean to me. Friends are rampant in life. But, sometimes, we are lucky enough to find those folks that not only make us better people but can also soften the blows that take the wind out of us."
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