New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "In The Wasteland" is Jason Charles Miller's first truly career-defining album. Miller's RED MUSIC/Sony debut draws inspiration from a career that has spanned more than two decades and a dozen releases, and is colored by a catalog of musical textures drawing extensively from the worlds of rock, country and Americana. The trinity of styles - coupled with Miller's experience as a songwriter, producer and performer, as well as a virtual who's who of guest performances - culminates in 11 tracks that blur the lines between Southern Rock, classic country, and the outlaw attitude that has earmarked Miller's career.
"For me, the defining thing about In The Wasteland is that it's a culmination of my entire life," says Miller. "From the many different styles of music that have influenced me over the years, to the lyrics that are a mixture of observational storytelling and pure emotional ferocity - some songs are collaborations or even duets, and others were written alone in a darkened room. If you've followed the journey of my career as an entertainer, you'll hear every place I've been, and where I ended up today. I've released a lot of music in the last few years for a lot of various projects - other artists, video games, TV shows, musicals and films - but this is my first solo album in six years... you can bet I've got a lot to say!"
Lead single and opening track "Hundred Pound Hammer" resonates with a dark and brooding timbre, setting the table for an album that flows seamlessly through styles and subjects. The aforementioned outlaw spirit shows its teeth in the title track, then wears the hat of storyteller on "Get Thee Behind Me" - a song about Jesus, written from the devil's perspective. The storytelling takes flight as a Southern Rock romp on "Trunk Full Of Bibles," then plants its defiant seed on "Old Scarecrow," which features
Blackberry Smoke vocalist Charlie Starr trading lead vocals with Miller as
Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Rickey Medlocke swathes the landscape with his slide guitar. "The Line" represents classic country in its purest form, while "No More Reasons" marries a roadhouse feel with Miller's more ambient rock roots.
Starr and Medlocke aren't the only friends to join Jason Charles Miller on In The Wasteland. 'Cowboy' Eddie Long [Jamey Johnson] lends his steel guitar to "Hundred Pound Hammer" and "Get Thee Behind Me," the latter of which also features King's X frontman Dug Pinnick on guest vocals and guitarist Duane Betts, the son of founding Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts. Album-closer "Finding My Way In The Dark" features
Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist
Peter Keys, legendary Soul vocalist
Brenda Lee Eager - who has collaborated with such greats as Stevie Wonder,
Ray Charles and
Diana Ross - and guitarist Adam Shoenfeld [Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean], and delivers the album to a rhythm and blues soaked, epic finale. Mixed, mastered and produced by Grammy Award-winner Matt Hyde [Jonny Lang, No Doubt, Deftones] - and featuring drummer Kenny Aronoff [John Mellenamp, John Fogerty] on the entire album - In The Wasteland is more than just a record, it is the living and breathing embodiment of Jason Charles Miller.
"To be able to collaborate with so many of my heroes on this album is completely surreal, totally mind-blowing and incredibly humbling, all at the same time," Miller continues. "If I were to put a dream list of musicians together to play with, every single person on this record would be on that list. This truly is an all-star team of players, singers and stars that I somehow tricked into showing up to the studio... then, while they weren't looking, I hit the record button! In all seriousness, each and every performance helps elevate the album to a level that I could never achieve alone, and I'm grateful to every single person who helped me bring In The Wasteland to life."
