Josh Kelley has been recording records for the past decade or so and has always had more of a singer/songwriter vibe, even when he was considered a pop singer in his earliest records or a country singer on his last project, 2011’s Georgia Clay. For New Lane Road, Josh Kelley has found not only a perfect recording home but a great showcase of who he is: a rootsy, soulful singer/songwriter. He self-penned four of New Lane Road’s dozen tracks but his other songs feature collaborations with award-winning songwriters like Alan Chang, Kyle Jacobs, Rachel Thibodeau, Sean McConnell, Clint Lagerberg, Danny Wilde and his brother, Charles Kelley and they’re all strong.
“Call It What It Is” has a thread of Bruce Hornsby’s jovial folk/pop tunes while “It’s Your Move” is a stunning love song that could do well on multiple radio formats. Honestly, that’s a statement that could be said about the entire New Lane RoadCase in point is “The Best Of Me,” a song originally recorded (in a different take) for the 2012 film Act of Valor. Here the song has more of a traditional country/pop sheen than outright power ballad but the lyrics are still as powerful now as they were four years ago. If there’s a better patriotic song than the title track “New Lane Road,” I have yet to hear it. This is a song that’s perfect for country radio and hopefully it’ll get a shot (if only for yearly patriotic playlists). The distinctive Randy Kohrs adds some haunting Dobro to “One Foot In The Grave” (I can’t wait to hear a Bluegrass band do this one) while “Cowboy Love Song” feels like a hymn inspired by Josh’s love for his wife Katherine Heigl (or his daughters).
New Lane Road is a record released by the perfect recording home for Josh Kelley, roots/indie powerhouse Sugar Hill Records. He has been on labels larger (Hollywood, MCA Nashville) and smaller (His own) but Josh Kelley is right at home with a label that lets an artist be who they are, in this case, a stellar singer/songwriter at the top of his game.
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