If there was always a rock 'n' roll side to Jesse Terry restlessly itching to break through, the thin veil of a lo-fi folk singer-songwriter has been breached with the carefully injected impetus surrounding his latest album. Co-produced with in-demand Nashville operator Dylan Alldredge, ARCADIA opens a door on both sides of an artist's duality and leads to a record primed to excite new and old ears. This is the seventh album from Nashville-based Terry and its eleven tracks have a marked impact to show an alternative dimension.
From the pumping beat and ramped up electric guitar to opening and title track 'Arcadia', you are truly in scratchy good ole rock 'n' roll territory. Throw in a rousing chorus anthem - 'off to find Arcadia' - and we are well underway on a journey to relish. Strong choruses are a feature of the album and one is found in 'Burn the Boats' as we start to get a feel for what Terry wants to create. This second track is in more placid waters than the opener, but still built for the big stage. The next couple of tunes marginally differ within the template. 'Gunpowder Days' possesses a more soulful edge with a lyrical feature of pairing 'gunpowder' with days, blaze, past and sky. Clever writing with a spicy guitar solo added. 'Poison Arrow' is similar to its predecessor with a definable sound bedded in.
The latter is one of four co-writes on the album, a writing activity with Craig Bickhardt. The rest are all Jesse Terry solos. The second co-write to appear falls back into familiar ballad territory when 'Someone in Repair' appears. This tenderer offering is devoid of a memorable chorus yet still stacked with meaningful lyrics. The remaining co-writes are 'Headline', which pulls together a sophisticated tempered rock sound and the outstanding 'Waiting Out The Hurricane'. The latter is likely to be the pick of the album for many through its thumping soulful intro and a significant flashback brought to life in song.
'Native Child' is a track that rises to the summit for me on the basis of a return to the core beat and an extensive repeated chorus with a desirable melody. Mind you, the more you play 'River Town'. the more its value to the album increases. This song with a a top chorus about realising your roots brings all of Terry's qualities to the table.
The final two tracks under the microscope have a similar feel and more resemblant of Jesse Terry's previous work. 'Strong' begins with an acoustically strummed solo before submersing into a deeply personal effective writing style. From a different chorus structure to what we hear before ‘I swear with all my might, it’s gonna be alright’ is a touching parting shot. In a similar vein, the piano-led ballad 'Where You Came From' ends this largely buoyant record on a quieter note with a poignant chorus sentiment.
Jesse Terry has delivered an album of uptempo Americana beauty. ARCADIA rocks when you want it and soothes when needed. An exceptionally rounded album packed with smart writing and leaves the listener at one with what an artist has desired.
