Elijah Ocean - Born Blue (2021) [Official Digital Download 24/48]

Acclaimed for consistently capturing audiences’ hearts, Elijah Ocean is widely known for his distinct vocals, catchy melodies, and razor-sharp storytelling.

Born Blue took shape over the course of two years, whittled down from a batch of 30 songs Ocean had crafted. He reached out to Dwight Yoakam sideman and Los Angeles Americana staple Brian Whelan to produce the album. It seemed the perfect match — but creative differences led Ocean to take full control of the project early in the process in order to maintain his vision for the final product. Ocean also took a slight detour along the way, connecting with Peter Donovan of All the Real Girls to record an album for their side project, The Rose Petals, who released the jangle-pop, post-Americana album American Grenadine in early 2020. While not the neo-traditional country Ocean is known for, that album also received heaps of praise, with the Bluegrass Situation pointing out comparisons to the “acoustic 12-string from The Byrds, synthesizer from the ’80s records of Bruce Springsteen, and Beach Boys harmonies.”

The journey to Born Blue has now culminated with twelve songs that are the perfect blend of honky tonk swagger and deeply honest self-reflection. From the upbeat fiddle-filled opening track “Living to Love You” to the regretful pining of “The Ice Machine” to the Peter-Pan-syndrome-testimony of “Thirty Five,” Ocean is a perceptive storyteller of the highest caliber. Add to that the perfect blend of electric guitar, pedal steel, piano and drums, and you get a thoroughly cohesive neo-traditional country album — sure to satisfy listeners old and new.

Tracklist:
1. Livin' to Love You (02:57)
2. In a Perfect World (03:12)
3. Honky Tonk Hole (02:45)
4. The Ice Machine (03:38)
5. Thirty-Five (03:15)
6. Let's Call It a Night (02:43)
7. Born Blue (03:31)
8. A Chip off the Barroom Floor (02:52)
9. Time on My Hands (03:18)
10. The Writing on the Wall (02:24)
11. Losin' My Mem'ry (02:59)
12. The Long Haul (02:18)


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