Album Review – Jason James – “Cut The Chain”
Classic Country (#510.1) on the Country DDS.
For those of you that love to put on an old George Jones record and pretend like the last 50 years of country music never happened, the music of Jason James will be as welcomed as that first bit of crisp afternoon air that arrives in the early fall. The songs might be full of tragic heartbreak crooned out with the pain of 1,000 breakups. But despite the dour nature of the material, this music gives you a bit more hope in the world, and a lot more hope in country music.
Ever since releasing his debut album in 2015, Texas City-native Jason James has been on the front lines of keeping the classic sound of country music alive and vibrant in the ears of very appreciative modern listeners. Partaking to the music of Jason James, you hear the ghosts of George Jones, Ray Price, and other Golden Era performers coming through the voice, the writing, and the approach. It’s like the greatest era of country music never went away.
Sure, all these Gen Z types with their ’90s country shtick are definitely a shade better than whatever the mainstream was schlepping out a few years back. But Jason James isn’t content with just throwing it back 30 years. The fact that he’s relatively young and making music that sounds so old makes him unique in the marketplace. Except for his touring buddies The Malpass Brothers, few if anyone is doing what Jason James does, or at least this well.
In 2023, after some personal setbacks and years of struggling to make a career in country music work, Jason James announced that he was stepping back from the music business. But there’s nothing like a good ol’ fashioned divorce to find renewed passion for performing country heartbreak songs. The new album Cut The Chain is very much a country music divorce record from start to finish, with every aching season of a bitter divorce characterized in deeply personal and timelessly-written songs.
It’s takes you all of 10 seconds into the album’s opening title track for you to immediately be engrossed in whatever Jason James is doing. His voice and style are so evocative of the greatest of country music moments from the past, while being brought forth in new and original experiences, including Jason writing all ten songs of the album himself. James makes good use of his deep study into country music modes, from the smart use of words in the second song “Another Day In A Nightmare,” to the the way the final song “I Can’t Get Used To Gettin’ Over You” starts with the hook.
In fact, if there’s any criticism of this album, it’s how there’s some moments where Jason’s focus is a little too much on trying to emulate George Jones instead of letting George’s influence flow through his own expressions. And even though this album is exactly what those die hard classic country fans crave, by the end it does become a bit “one note” with the way all the songs deal with heartbreak, and take a relatively similar approach sonically.
There are a few unexpected moments though, like the comparatively upbeat “Tonight I’m Steppin’ Out.” Working with producer John Evans, they began recording the album in the Nashville studio of legendary bass player Dave Roe, and assembled an A-team of musicians for the record, including guitarist “Cousin” Kenny Vaughan, Steve Hinson on steel guitar, and bluegrass great Ronnie Bowman on backing vocals. The album took so long to come together though, Dave Roe and Ronnie Bowman have since passed on.
Heart of Texas Records put the final bit of effort out to get Cut The Chain completed and released, and now Jason James has a renewed push behind his career. Jason James might not be the next new big thing in country music. But he might be the next big thing in old country music. And that might be even better.
8.1/10
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September 11, 2026 @ 8:26 am
Guilty as charged in my love of George Jones. You hit the nail on the head that James takes the Jones appreciation a bit far. But, it’s a lovely respite from the modern country sound for me. He doesn’t quite have George’s voice (who does), but for me this is actually a nostalgic record of sorts that fits the bill.
September 11, 2026 @ 8:45 am
Go Jason James. I can’t wait to spin this. Big props to Tracy Pitcox at Heart of Texas for being a friend of country music
September 11, 2026 @ 8:46 am
His album covers make it very hard for me to take him seriously enough to listen to but perhaps I’ll give it a go.
September 11, 2026 @ 8:59 am
Man, I wish this sound connected with me more, but when I listen to albums like this, I so often think, “I’ve heard this before.”
Then again, that same sentiment could be expressed about much of the music I like, so perhaps that’s not a fair criticism. It just doesn’t click with me. I did enjoy the Pony Bradshaw album, though, even with some sonic choices that normally put me off a bit.
If there’s a modern artist making classic country more in the vein of Don Williams, I think that’s the sweet spot for the Classic sound for me.
Any intention to review Flowers by David Nail? That’s my Album of the Year so far, and far and away his best album. And I’m someone who loves the first 4, flaws and all. “Skyline” is currently my Song of the Year.
September 11, 2026 @ 6:33 pm
I probably won’t review the new David Nail album. Similar to Kip Moore, they’re both great artists and write good songs. I fail to see how they’re connected with country music these days at all. They just don’t fit in my universe, and with so much music out there in country, it’s hard to get to them.
September 11, 2026 @ 9:12 am
Too many heartbreak songs?
Please…don’t throw me in the briar patch.
Very cool n ty for pointing it out.
September 11, 2026 @ 9:33 am
Welcome Jason! Just what the format needed when we had to put up with terrible sounds from “artists 🥴” Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean not so long ago and just what we need now more than ever that they are no longer relevant. I love this real country sound. It should have never gone away in the first place. It gives me hope also.
September 11, 2026 @ 1:14 pm
Listened to it this morning. I do agree that it seems just a little too much george and not enough jason at times. But a good thing about that is its only 10 tracks, so no super deluxe 24 cut album. Every song is very listenable though, not really a bad one in the bunch. Kind of all thriller with no filler though mostly they fall into the same style and subject matter. But the album makes for a great short listen esp if you are into the misery likes company crowd. You can color me that. Excellent album. He isnt george but he isnt bad and ill take that over most everything else out.
September 11, 2026 @ 7:44 pm
I’ve been listening to it all day and love it. Added bonus: after it was thru streaming, Apple algo introduced me to an artist named Miss Leslie and I’m now obsessed!
September 12, 2026 @ 2:46 am
I’ve been a huge fan of Jason James ever since I discovered his music several years ago. His close similarity to the sound of George Jones is precisely why I love his music. George Jones once asked in a song “who’s gonna fill their shoes?”. Here’s someone who’s doing his dead-level best.
September 12, 2026 @ 4:34 am
A copycat impersonator, and not a good one at that. I’m sure his heart and mind are in the right place, but this simply isn’t an interesting (or good) record.
September 14, 2026 @ 9:26 pm
Sharing god given vocal traits is not the same as impersonation.
To completely avoid the George Jones comparison, he’d actually have to become less authentic.
He’d have to consciously modify some combination of his natural accent, vocal delivery, repertoire, instrumentation or production specifically so people would stop making the comparison. At that point he’d be manufacturing distance from an influence rather than simply making the kind of country music he actually likes. If you pay attention to the resonance it’s unmistakably Jason sounding like Jason.
September 16, 2026 @ 1:35 am
Eventhough I kinda agree with what you’re saying, I’m asking myself if he doesn’t push his georgejonesiness a little bit too far? It’s good to listen to, though
September 16, 2026 @ 2:29 am
I’m listening to an older record right now (self titled, 2015) and he seems to me he was less jones and more james, back then.
September 13, 2026 @ 7:37 am
Good to highlight JJ and make people aware of his music.
I think I gave it 4.5 out of 5 in Country Music People magazine this month, somewhere around 8 or 9 out of 10.
September 16, 2026 @ 7:49 am
“Nothing like a good old fashioned divorce”. Ha ha, had me spitting my coffee out.
I love this new record, fits nicely with the first two.
September 25, 2026 @ 10:06 am
Appreciated reading the review and all the comments. You really hit the nail on the head when you said, “If there’s any criticism of this album, it’s how there’s some moments where Jason’s focus is a little too much on trying to emulate George Jones instead of letting George’s influence flow through his own expressions.”
That is something that I’ve always thought about Jason’s music. Given his natural style of singing, I think he would come across as more genuine if he focused on just singing as he would still have that George Jones appeal in his music without overdoing it. But hey, when he does it right, that’s tough to beat 😉
I’m also not sure what he was going for on the album cover, but I think the album is worth a listen, even if it isn’t an immediate favorite of mine like his first two were.
September 25, 2026 @ 6:22 pm
Along with Red Shahan, albums of the year.