Countin' The Miles (LP)
Jesse Daniel
Amoeba Review
Countin' the Miles is an appropriate title for this transportive, twangy album from Austin-by-way-of-rural-California country artist Jesse Daniel. Some albums just have that roadworn, lived in, cozy feeling and this is one of them: it's perfect for road tripping through wide open spaces, sitting around a campfire at night, or pulling up to the honky-tonk for a sweaty, swampy night out. Daniel started out in punk bands before hitting the rock bottom of addiction, then found new purpose in clean living, traditional country, and seemingly touring nonstop; his lived experience imbues these songs with a sense of honesty and vulnerability. This is classic country for those born too late for the early golden years of the Opry.