Andrew Gabbard has become a household name in the Ohio rock-n-roll scene. As a guitarist and vocalist for Cincinnati-based Thee Shams and the critically acclaimed Buffalo Killers, his songwriting chops have been proven time and time again. He currently serves as one half of the Gabbard Brothers, performs as a touring guitarist for The Black Keys, and records his own music at home.
Gabbard has announced the release of his sophomore effort as a solo artist, Cedar City Sweetheart, set to release March 24th on Colemine/Karma Chief Records (PRE-ORDER). The songs evoke a familiar feel for fans of his debut album, but new instrumentation and country-leaning lyrics give us a glimpse of another side of Andrew. “I love when a rock band makes a country album,” he explained, pointing to The Byrds as a major source of inspiration.
While the direction of Cedar City Sweetheart doesn’t feel drastically different from Gabbard’s debut LP, there are elements that send the listener down a new path. Among the expect cosmic country pioneers, sources of inspiration for the album include Emmylou Harris, Waylon Jennings, and most importantly, Andrew’s mother. “My mom has always been a big country music fan. She’s been asking me to make a record like this for a long time.” The songs were written over the course of several years, but they’re all very fresh in Andrew’s mind. “I can remember a specific moment from writing each one of these tunes. They’re simple songs that came naturally to me.” Even though Andrew has written and contributed on countless albums over the years, this one truly feels like his second.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the standout track “Yer Time’ll Come,” a twangy honky tonk number that is positively grooving. Gabbard’s wavy vocals bring to mind the great Doug Sahm with a touch of Harry Nilsson, accentuated by soulful backing vocals. While there are a decent amount of cosmic country revivalists out there these days, Gabbard seems to be latching onto a more specific style of 70s country-rock that is a road less traveled. Making it all better is just how damn well he pulls it off, taking you back to laid back times when the hippies and the rednecks convened over beers and tunes.
Gabbard describes the inspiration behind the tune:
“‘Yer Time’ll Come’ is the direct result of me driving home from Tennessee with the stereo off. The lyrics are a reflection of a songwriter and how long it takes to share your work.”
LISTEN:
