James Lee Baker Releases New Album '100 Summers'

There's something to be said about the ingenuity it takes to put a group of great musicians together in a great room to record great songs and having them all coming together in one take. Undoubtedly, James Lee Baker has just pulled it off. Coming as no surprise to Baker's existing fans-No Depression once said, "to call him anything other than brilliant would be criminal"-his new album 100 Summers accomplished this feat with graceful execution and the backbone of timeless songs and stories. Available everywhere now, 100 Summers is an eleven-song collection of soothing folk-song melodies that circle around a centralized theme; that of personal transformation. Garnering the attention of outlets like The Bluegrass Situation, American Songwriter, 303 Magazine, and Glide Magazine-the latter of which called Baker's songcraft "poetry at its purest; tender, touching, and flush with sweetness, sadness, and sentiment in equal measure"-100 Summers is poised for more of the same accolades Baker has received for his previous efforts. Yesterday, Ground Sounds premiered "A Life Full of Meaning & Wonder - The Journey of 100 Summers," a short film detailing Baker's new album produced by Arcadian Pictures and directed and edited by John Hunt with Sean Biffar as the director of photography; watch here. 100 Summers is available today.

Recorded in one-take recordings at Blue Rock Studios in Wimberly, Texas, 100 Summers finds Baker working with an exceptional group of collaborators - among them, Chris Bell (the man behind the boards for the Eagles, Don Henley and Christopher Cross), Doug Pettibone (John Mayer, Jewel, Lucinda Williams), Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson, Billy Bob Thornton), Roscoe Beck (Leonard Cohen, Eric Johnson), Paul Simon's Grammy-winning accompanist Joel Guzman, Americana Songwriter of the Year nominee Mark Erelli, and Laurie MacAllister from the famed folk group Red Molly. "I elected to record at the most appropriate studio I could find, with the best session players I could afford and the right engineers for the genre," Baker reflects. "I aimed to give this everything I had in hopes that people who are seeking it can receive it."

The aforementioned theme of "personal transformation" rears its head more obviously in some places than in others-"Santa Barbara" being a good example of the former. The rejoicing refrain of "Santa Barbara, I have come to hear your mission bells ring" precedes Baker's proclamation; "I am here to start a new life again." "In a way, the second verse is a kind of double entendre," says Baker. "While I'm talking about the city and its hay days and eventual struggles, I'm really talking to myself and trying to give a needed pep talk-'you were a treasure chest of the gold rush, once a dangerous and lawless place.'" Album opener and title track "100 Summers" explores a more subtle change; one that comes through maturity and reflection. "As I grow older, it becomes clearer to me what truly matters most in this short and fragile life we have," Baker reflects. "For me, it is my family, my pursuit for integrity, and my focus on craftsmanship as an artist. While I am always learning, I am coming to find material things and adventurous experiences pale in comparison to the tender and priceless moments I share with my family and dearest friends."

On the whole, 100 Summers reflects a noble effort in Baker's ongoing quest to put pen to paper to song to microphone in a way that not only relates to his life experience but, universally, the lives of anyone who might listen. With his shimmering 100 Summers, that quest continues.

Listen to the new album below.

100 Summers Track Listing:

1. 100 Summers

2. Misinterpreting the Angels

3. Santa Barbara

4. Wipe the Dust off Your Bellows

5. Returning to Paris

6. A New Man's World

7. 18-Wheeler (I'm Coming Home)

8. The Last Cowboy in Hutchinson County

9. Leave the Saving Souls for Later

10. Breaking Through the Sunbeams

11. If Eve Hadn't Eaten the Apple

To post a comment, you must register and login.