Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Jay Buchanan, frontman of the Grammy-nominated rock group Rival Sons, will release his long-awaited debut solo album, Weapons of Beauty, February 6 on Sacred Tongue Records via Thirty Tigers. The album will be available in a variety of formats, including limited-edition autographed color vinyl and CD, exclusively through Sacred Tongue / Second Sun. Pre-save/pre-order HERE.
In advance of the release, Buchanan shares a new song, “Caroline,” today.
“I suppose that writing about unquenchable grief allows you a kind of permission to pay respect to those deep chasms in your life without wallowing in them,” Buchanan shares of the track. “Putting it in a song lets you buy the ticket and take the ride and then move on.”
Produced by longtime collaborator and Grammy Award-winner Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell) and written in the solitude of an underground bunker deep in the Mojave Desert, Weapons of Beauty is the result of months of reflection and experimentation—an unfiltered 10-song collection that captures Buchanan’s raw vocals and lived-in storytelling.
Reflecting on the project, Buchanan shares, “As music continues to be choked out by technology, I wanted to draw pictures in the dirt. This approach is right with me and I’ve just come to a point where there is no longer a choice. Weapons Of Beauty is the sound of these plates shifting within me, too loud to ignore. Surprisingly, I’ve never known a vulnerability to feel so empowering.”
Additionally, Cobb reflects, “I think this record is like seeing into the heart of Jay, no filter, no noise, just pure raw emotion.”
Ahead of the release, Buchanan recently made his acting debut in the new Bruce Springsteen biopic, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, where he appeared as frontman of the Stone Pony house band, and was introduced to director Scott Cooper, who sequenced the new album.
In addition to Buchanan and Cobb, Weapons of Beauty also features contributions from Brian Allen (bass), Chris Powell (drums), Leroy Powell (guitar), J.D. Simo (guitar) and Philip Towns (keys).
Born in San Bernardino, CA, Buchanan began writing songs as soon as he could hold a guitar, honing his craft through busking, home recordings and constant artistic reinvention. Widely respected by his peers, Buchanan has collaborated with artists such as Jason Isbell, The Bee Gees, Miranda Lambert, Massive Attack, The Bloody Beetroots and Brandi Carlile, in addition to his work as frontman of the 2x Grammy-nominated rock band Rival Sons—Buchanan (vocals, acoustic guitar), Scott Holiday (lead guitar), Mike Miley (drums) and Dave Beste (bass). Hailed as “one of the best live acts around” (Glide), the group has released eight studio albums to date, toured extensively across the globe, including sharing stages with Black Sabbath, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Aerosmith and Lenny Kravitz, and performed on The Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Late Show with James Corden, George Lopez’s Lopez Tonight and Later…with Jools Holland.
WEAPONS OF BEAUTY TRACKLIST
1. Caroline
2. High And Lonesome
3. True Black
4. Tumbleweeds
5. Shower of Roses
6. Deep Swimming
7. Sway
8. The Great Divide
9. Dance Me to the End of Love
10. Weapons of Beauty