Jesse Terry, Arcadia

Rooted in rhythmic rock & roll and sharp songwriting, Arcadia marks a turning point in Jesse Terry's career. It's the seventh original album from an award-winning musician who's spent much of the past decade on the move, playing 150 shows annually, bouncing between solo performances and full-band gigs. Arcadia captures both sides of that musical personality, finding room for amplified anthems one moment and intimate moments the next, showcasing just how wide Terry's reach can be. 

"There are so many different parts to all of us," he explains. "For me, I have the husband part, the father part, the songwriting part, the touring part… and I like embracing all those different sides with my music, too. I listen to just as much Tom Petty as I listen to James Taylor. As much acoustic Neil Young as electric Neil Young. There's a rock & roll side of me that's been waiting in the wings for some time now, and this is the first album to capture that side and present me as a whole artist."

Arcadia is layered with dueling electric guitars, stacked vocal harmonies, and heartland hooks, all supplied by instrumentalists like Ethan Ballinger (Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack), Ross McReynolds (Katie Pruitt, Becca Mancari), Sam Howard (Molly Tuttle, Joy Williams), Juan Solorzano (Ruston Kelly, Parker Millsap), and Danny Mitchell (Rodney Crowell, Anderson East). It's a big, bold sound — the sort of record that begs to be played in the car, windows rolled down, driving down the fast lane toward some new horizon. At the center of that sound is the craft Terry has been sharpening since his years in Nashville, back when he composed songs for others as a staff writer on Music Row. A grand-prize winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, Terry established himself as a top-shelf songwriter and storyteller even before he built his audience as a solo artist, landing performances at bucket-list events like Bonnaroo and AmericanaFest along the way. Nearly a dozen albums later, Arcadia captures him at his articulate, energetic peak.

"I started to look at my journey and career path in a different light," he says, thinking back to the years that inspired Arcadia's creation. It was a time of change and challenge. He'd recently become a father for the second time, but a genetic disorder threatened his son's health, resulting in a year's worth of doctor's appointments and medical tests. Meanwhile, he'd grown exhausted by the concept of "content creation" — the need to constantly market himself to the digital world — and he chose to take a step back, focusing his priorities on family, music, and his own mental health instead. "I unsubscribed from most music business newsletters and, instead, focused on reading great literature," he remembers. Newly inspired, he left town for a series of immersive songwriting retreats, spending his weekends in isolated cabins or quiet rooms at friends' homes, dedicating himself to music for 14 unbroken hours a day. He also teamed up with co-writer and longtime mentor Craig Bickhardt, the man behind songs for legends like Ray Charles, The Judds, and The Highwaymen. Bickhardt pushed Terry to reach even deeper, and the result is an album that's both personal and universal, stocked with songs that turn details from Terry's own life — the joy of fatherhood, the anxiety of protecting a sick child, the nostalgic reflection upon his own childhood — into rallying cries for anyone looking to turn the challenges of the past into fuel for a better, brighter present.

"I don’t enjoy writing songs that wallow in the past," he explains. "I'm really excited about songs that reveal the truth and help us process complex emotions and situations. Songs like 'Poison Arrow,' 'Gunpowder Days,' and 'Waiting Out The Hurricane' dig deep into my childhood and have helped me process various traumas so I can move forward. Sometimes, songs express the person you wish to be, not the person you are."

And who, exactly, is Jesse Terry? On "Burn The Boats," he's a man caught between heartache and personal transition, his gorgeous vocals sharing the spotlight with jangling guitars. On the Springsteen-worthy title track, he finds his own "Arcadia" — a creative utopia, named after the historical region in Greece but imbued with mythic qualities — in the songwriting process itself. And throughout the album, he pulls triple-duty as singer, songwriter, and co-producer (a role he shares with Dylan Alldredge), crafting a record that's as distinctive as it is diverse.

"I'm more obsessed with music than ever before," he says. "I love the idea of bringing something beautiful into the world."

 Beautiful, indeed. With Arcadia, Jesse Terry reaches a new peak. 

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“Beautifully crafted songs from a master singer-songwriter. A joy to play on my radio show with great reaction from listeners. Jesse deserves to be up there with the likes of James Taylor & Jackson Browne.”

— Paddy MacDee - BBC Radio Newcastle

“...easy to compare Terry’s heritage and storytelling to that of Jackson Browne, James Taylor or Bruce Springsteen… A symphonic delight for the heart and soul.” 9/10

- AmericanaUK