1. The Southern man is a paradox of sorts — aware (and far too often indulging) of his vices, but at the same time constantly confronted with offers salvation and compelled to walk that line. Jason Eady’s latest single “God Fearing Blues“, from his new record When The Money’s All Gone manage to encompass both sides of the Southern man, drawing on his own personal experience and Mississippi roots.
2. His story begins with salvation, as Eady is baptized at age 10, but gets “a little dirty” so he does it again. As the chorus (and the Band of Heathens) slide in on a slinky New Orleans groove, he admits to wrestling with the devil and sometimes winning, sometimes losing, before rattling off a series of adjectives that sum up the spectrum of the Southern soul:
“I got these no good livin/
White line lovin/
Road house singin/
Good time God-fearing blues”
3. Declaring that he is “gonna go to heaven but [he’s] going [his] way”, Eady and producer Kevin Welch let the song careen into a long solo section featuring Ray Bonneville’s harmonica and Reckless Kelly’s David Abeyta’s choppy Steve Cropper licks, before moving into an incredibly appropriate gospel shuffle, as if to suggest that Saturday night’s carousing is over and it’s time for church. With his soulful country approach, the Mississippi-born Eady takes a alternate route from most Texas-based songwriters, and provides a hearty dose of The Deep South, best chased with a shot of whiskey or a cup of communion juice.
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