The Musical Divide

After releasing two hard-edged, ‘70s outlaw-leaning albums, Jaime Wyatt pivots toward ‘60s-era country-soul for latest album Feel Good, with producer Adrian Quesada taking over for Shooter Jennings. It’s a strange choice at first, given how much swagger and muscle her previous offerings showcased sonically and lyrically, but it’s also a pivot with multiple layers that works extremely effectively for her.

Part of this comes through a dedication to still maintaining a strong sense of groove, where even if this album isn’t playing to as many darker, haggard tendencies as before, it’s still as swaggering and fun as ever. Off the spacious, mellow mix of bass and strings on the title track, it really lives up to its title as a relatively feel good experience. And that extends toward the jumpy electric axes that color the reconnection that takes place on “Back to the Country,” as well as the extended fuzzy outro of “Hold Me One Last Time” and especially the galloping muscle of “Fugitive.” And those hoping for the stronger country backbone of her previous offerings will certainly find it through the appropriately boozy, swaying “Ain’t Enough Whiskey” (even if Butch Walker doesn’t get much to do there), as well as the pedal steel-filled closer, “Moonlighter.”

If anything, my only real nitpick is a strangely consistent one that’s followed my experience with Wyatt’s works, in that the overall mixing can still feel a bit too muddy to let everything – vocals included – simmer a bit more effectively, which is especially noticeable on the stiff, icy-sounding “Jukebox Holiday.” It doesn’t help that this album can sometimes lean a little often on the slower, melodramatic side of this sound – particularly in the middle with weaker cuts like “Where the Damned Only Go” and “Althea” - without the greater variety in tempo provided by a moment like “Fugitive” or a more distinctive compositional muscle.

Even still, the production is mostly excellent across the board and suits Wyatt’s sound far better than expected, maintaining a good balance between warmer country tones via the acoustics and pedal steel, as well as a foray into the scuzzier side of soul via some great percussive moments and touches of bass and electric axes. At least for me, it’s a far more welcoming palette than the otherwise empty, weathered palette of 2020’s Neon Cross.

But despite being billed as a feel good experience where Wyatt can be more true to who she is, this is still a serious listen in spots. Opening with “World Worth Keeping” certainly helps ground perspective in the call for change, and it feels both very of its era in sound and depressingly modern in its message of how there’s still work to be done to make the world more welcoming for everyone. And when you couple that with other songs about being a musician feeling the miles of living life on the road after hard bouts with the law – which she knows well and can sell effectively – those moments about finding even the slightest connection or happiness via “Back to the Country,” “Love Is a Place,” and “Hold Me One Last Time” feel grounded and tempered by a real weight.

Basically, it’s a feel good experience because it’s able to claw its way out of the darkness to keep that perspective in mind. And by ending on that deceptively downward moment in “Moonlighter” - where despite her best efforts, she still feels like an outsider where her goal of peace and happiness might always feel out of reach, even if she can another version of joy elsewhere – again, it tries its best to hold on, and that’s at least a good starting point. I will say this album feels more like evolution than revolution for Wyatt, but between some stellar moments via the title track, the smoldering awesomeness that helps close “Hold Me One Last Time,” and other kickass moments in “Back to the Country” and “Fugitive,” the best moments really help the overall album shine. It’s a fun listen worth supporting and checking out.

(8/10)

• Favorite tracks: “Feel Good,” “Back to the Country,” “Hold Me One Last Time,” “Fugitive,” “Moonlighter”

• Least favorite track: “Jukebox Holiday”

Buy or stream the album.