Country favourite Dierks Bentley has introduced the February 24 launch of his tenth studio album, to be titled Gravel & Gold. The 14-track album marks his debut as a producer and, following the looks of the tracks “Gold” and “High Note,” that includes Billy Strings, it’s been additional previewed by the brand new track “Same Ol’ Me.” The track sees Bentley balancing midlife changes along with his long-held ardour for nation music, mirrored in all its kinds and sub-genres greater than ever earlier than on the brand new report.
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Gravel & Gold is described as a “diverse, 14-track album about perspective and self-awareness at many levels from the personal to the professional. It’s also a testament to the many strains of country music Bentley has mastered and cultivated in his career, from the arena shaker to the barroom weeper to the bluegrass fireballer.”
“It’s been four years since I put out an album,” says the star, “and part of the reason for that is that I wrote and recorded two records that I didn’t feel were good enough and had to start over…twice. I’m going to be able look back on it for the rest of my life and be like, yeah, that was harder than I thought it would be, but zero regrets. I had to get it right. That’s the Gravel & Gold of it all.”
The album additionally consists of “Heartbreak Drinking Tour,” which addresses nation music’s storytelling traditions; “Something Real,” which is in regards to the significance of holding on to integrity and self within the trendy world; and the spacious, pensive “Still.” On “Cowboy Boots,” he’s joined by Ashley McBryde, and “Beer At My Funeral” injects a component of “Roger Miller humor at 21st century arena scale.”
“Gold,” the primary taster of the album, has a road-trip theme about knowledge gained from expertise, whereas there’s the same appreciation of life’s mild items on “Walking Each Other Home.” The already-shared “High Note” options Billy Strings on guitar, Jerry Douglas on dobro, Sam Bush on mandolin, Charlie Worsham on guitar, and Bryan Sutton on guitar and banjo.
“Selfishly I’ve always wanted to have my cake and eat it too,” concludes Bentley. “I’m in the bluegrass space. I’m in the traditional country space. It’s always been important to me to have the love and support of this community in Nashville, particularly the older establishment and the Opry – and to know that I’m able to do that but also get out on the road and play the big venues too? It doesn’t get any better than that for me.”
Pre-order Gravel & Gold, which is launched on February 24.
The full Gravel & Gold tracklist is:
1. “Same Ol’ Me”
2. “Sun Sets In Colorado”
3. “Heartbreak Drinking Tour”
4. “Something Real”
5. “Still”
6. “Beer At My Funeral”
7. “Cowboy Boots” (that includes Ashley McBryde)
8. “Gold”
9. “Walking Each Other Home”
10. “Roll On”
11. “All The Right Places”
12. “Ain’t All Bad”
13. “Old Pickup”
14. “High Note” (that includes Billy Strings)