Jason Scott & The High Heat Expand Reach On New LP ‘American Grin’

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Jason Scott & The High Heat are set to release their new album, American Grin on March 28 via Leo33. To commemorate the announcement, the band released “Golden,” from the upcoming project last Friday (Feb. 7).

The album builds on their debut project, Castle Rock, and broadens their distinctive style by blending high-energy Southern rock with rugged Americana, a touch of honky tonk grit and anthems perfect for the open road. A balance of humor and depth shine throughout the album, whether in the Friday-night misadventures of “Me & The Bottle (Hungover You)”, the thumping, guitar-driving “Yardwork,” or the symphonic closer “Maria,” which recalls the lush experimentalism of Wilco and The Beach Boys.

Produced by former bandmate Taylor Johnson, the album was recorded in both Oklahoma City and the Texas borderlands, where the band drew inspiration from the local sounds and culture. From ZZ Top-style guitars on “If We Make Til The Mornin’” to the mariachi-inspired elements in “Interstate of Mind,” American Grin broadens the band’s sonic landscape while remaining rooted in the grit and groove they’ve become known for.

“We wanted to be a little bit playful during such a serious time,” Scott says of the album, which he began writing during the pandemic. “To pull back, look at the landscape, and write about the absurdity of American life.”

American Grin Track List:
1. “Jimmy” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
2. “High Country” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
3. “Golden” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
4. “Me & The Bottle (Hungover You)” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
5. “Interstate of Mind” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
6. “Yardwork” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
7. “Natalie” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
8. “Intermission” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
9. “Bernadette”(Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
10. “Too Wasted” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
11. “If We Make Til The Mornin’” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
12. “Get In Line” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)
13. “Maria” (Jason Scott, Taylor Johnson)

Lorie Hollabaugh
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