Jason Dea West at The Big Back Yard

Jason Dea West is a seasoned American troubadour who sings what he lives and lives what he sings.

His latest album, Louella, promises a journey through different soundscapes sure to leave you bumping the volume up with each track. Much like the many states Jason traverses, these songs have their own characteristic feel, and this record takes you through the dusty forgotten pastures of rural Wisconsin, the banks of the Mississippi River, through the windy small town streets of Wyoming, down to the sun soaked Arizona deserts, and up to the forested mountains of Northern California. A true American troubadour, it seems Jason Dea West has culminated his life’s journey into this record.

Decades have passed since the days of his punk youth, studded jackets and sweaty midwest basement shows, but Louella folds time and space to bring life back to these dormant roots of his. Blending Blues, Folk and Americana into an energetic sound that throws a mean buck, with lyrical lines and melodies that echo something familiar but yet to be known. Louella offers a deeply satisfying listen, and serves as a window into the unique and winding road that has carried this determined traveler through the many phases of his musical journey.

The imagery conveyed in his songwriting delivers with a clear simplicity that could not be pared down, while also not holding anything back. It’s rough and raw but also tender and sincere, and shines with a quality that comes not by rag and polish, but the heavy patina of time.