Jess Williamson has announced her sixth album, A Mile South of Heaven, which will be out October 9 via New West. This is her first album for the label and she made it with Shooter Jennings producing.
“Depending on your outlook, a mile south of heaven may sound sad, or it may sound hopeful,” Williamson says. “We’re always a mile south of the impossible goals we set for ourselves, and my point is, maybe that’s ok, because a mile is pretty close. It’s about appreciating where we are now, because there is no finish line. There is always more work to be done.”
The first single and opening song on the album is “Goodbye to All That,” which was inspired by the Joan Didion essay of the same name. “Didion’s essay is about leaving New York after eight years and how ‘it’s distinctly possible to stay too long at the fair.’ In my eighth year of living in LA, I felt it was time to leave. I wrote this song as my farewell to LA, but songs are powerful in sneaky ways, and the song itself changed my mind. I realized I wasn’t finished with life in LA.”
You can watch the video below.
Jess’ only upcoming live appearance is at the Calgary Folk Festival this month.
One Mile South of Heaven
Goodbye to All That
High Heels and Blue Jeans
Country Mile
A Mile South of Heaven
Tracking the Tropics
Dark Day in Dallas
Hum of the City
Texas Time
Someone Else’s Horse
Legends Die
Battle Scar
The Gem and Mineral Show