On March 15th, JD & The Straight Shot released their latest all-acoustic effort entitled “The Great Divide”. With this record, JD & The Straight Shot delivered in their storytelling, authenticity, and just all around toe-tapping, hand-clapping fun in their music.
JD & The Straight Shot has previously released their album “Good Luck and Good Night” to critical acclaim and they rode that wave of momentum by sharing the stage with the likes of The Eagles and Chicago.
This album starts off with the title track entitled “The Great Divide”. The song talks about the division that the media has perpetuated and how divisive politics is in America nowadays. There is a different take to the song in the sense that JD & The Straight Shot does a great job of creating a feeling of reminiscing when there was a sense of togetherness amongst people instead of sounding like an all around protest. The song felt like that sipping on some sweet tea, Grandmother’s back porch vibe when times were innocent and when life was easy. It is a call for simplicity in our lives.
Along with the songwriting, JD & The Straight Shot have grown in their arrangements and harmony. Again, there is that brutal honesty that makes them as standouts in the Americana genre. They sing about a man named Davy Jones in the song “Dead Men Tell No Tales”, which tells the tale of the gold rush and the Old West. The chorus is uplifting and the listener will immediately find themselves toe tapping to this infectious song. The banjo picking and backwoods feel in “It Must Be Night” is a highlight in this record.
Along with the arrangements and songwriting, JD & The Straight Shot pay homage to The Monkees and The Allman Brothers in the cover songs “Happy Together” and “Jessica”.
Overall, this is an excellent record as JD & The Straight Shot has taken the next step towards the forefront of the Americana genre. The songs tell of love, reminiscing, and a call for simpler times in the trials and tribulations of today’s world. Madness To Creation rates this a solid 8 out of 10 stars. Check out the track listing below:
- The Great Divide
- Dead Men Tell No Tales
- It Must Be Night
- Invisible
- Bees
- Anything But Love
- Take It Slow
- Walkin’ On A Wire
- Happy Together (The Monkees cover)
- Jessica (Allman Brothers cover)
Fans can find JD & The Straight Shot at the following locations:
www.facebook.com/jdandthestraightshot
