Album Review – Jesse Daniel’s “Countin’ The Miles”
#510.2 and #510.3 (Honky Tonk and Hard Country) on the country DDS.
Hot damn, son. Jesse Daniel brings a loaded down Peterbilt’s worth of full-tilt twang to this one, and puts all worries about “wHaT’s HAppeNeD To TOdAyS COunTRY mUsIc!” to bed. You want country music? Listen to Jesse Daniel.
If you ain’t country, you will be after giving this thing a spin. You’ll be trying on ostrich boots and Resistol hats, saying “Yes sir” and “Yes ma’am” to everyone you meet, and cooking all your meals in a hole in your back yard just big enough for a cast iron dutch oven. Your neighbors will be wondering what the hell happened to the mild-mannered investment banker next door, but you’ll be in country music heaven with Countin’ The Miles blaring on repeat.
Jesse Daniel’s already dazzled us with his first three albums. But with his first album in three years, he takes the reins as producer for the first time, and triples down on his commitment to authentic honky tonk sounds and the country music way of life.
When Jesse Daniel espouses the importance of country, he’s not just talking about a music genre. To him, “country music” is just as much a lifestyle, a state of mind, darn near an ideology or even a religion to live up to and abide by. It’s about hard work, honesty, self-reliance, and doing right by yourself and others. Daniel is such a devoted apostle to country music because it’s what he used to straighten his own life out and find a righteous path.
To be honest, when taken together, the three early singes released from this album had you a little concerned it may be a little too “get off my lawn” with some of the bellyaching about the wrong direction of everything in today’s world. The Merle Haggard influence in fellow California native Jesse Daniel comes to the forefront, including with the song “Tomorrow’s Good Ol’ Days” that features Merle’s son and fellow performer Ben Haggard.
But just like Jesse Daniel has shown throughout his career, it’s not just the hard country sound he forwards, but the stories he tells, the characters he creates, and the wisdom he shares that makes his kind of country music the kind of country music you consider your favorite too.
On Countin’ The Miles, Jesse Daniel and co-writer/harmony singer Jodi Lyford do what all great traditional country artists do: take the timeless stories of country, and figure out new and fresh ways to tell them. “Ol’ Montana” is a classic story of moving away from home and getting your heart broken, but with a murderous twist. “Steppin’ Out” reminds you of the feistiest duets between Loretta Lynn and Conway Twitty back in the day.
Jesse Daniel also sings about both sides of the honky tonk life: the freewheelin’ and fancy free part of dancing your cares away until the early morning, and the empty feeling for those who get caught in that life and never leave. No matter what stage of life you may happen to be in, Jesse Daniel has a song for you. “When Your Tomorrow’s In The Past” is one of those songs that gets better every time you listen.
But let’s not bury the lede here. As great as the writing is for many of the the eleven songs of Countin’ The Miles, it’s the steel and lead guitar work on this record that is super tasty, incredibly twangy, and makes this album worthy of spinning even if lyricism is something you rarely pay attention to.
Whatever deficit mainstream country has accrued in the twang department over the last 20 years, Countin’ The Miles darn near balances it out. Jesse Daniel the producer was patently unafraid to call for more twang and more twang until it might be scientifically impossible to fit any more into these tracks. This all culminates in the final song “Cut Me Loose” where the lead instruments are allowed extra rounds to get their licks in before the album concludes in a fade out.
Think that country music’s dead? That there hasn’t been anything good in 20 years? Well then you don’t know Jesse Daniel.
1 3/4 Guns Up (8.4/10)
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Purchase Countin’ The Miles
June 7, 2024 @ 7:56 am
Great review as usual.
Saw him up here in Cleveland a couple weeks ago.
Small venue maybe 70 people there.
They put on a show as if it were a sold out arena!
Met them afterwords and they’re all goof people.
June 7, 2024 @ 8:36 am
He is a humble and good person who’s been through a lot. His story is similar to that of many of the greats, like Merle, Waylon, and Willie. Then you add in his songwriting and stage show. I happened to catch him at a local show a couple of years ago, and now I see him anytime he makes it out here. I talked to him and his wife a bit after his last show here; they are just dang good people. But boy, the biggest takeaway is the band and how they perform. Caleb is a superb pedal steel player. He blows me away when I see him live. Thank you, Trigger, for getting this man and his band exposure.
June 7, 2024 @ 9:29 am
Saw Jessie last week at 3rd and Lyndsey in Nashville. Same as last time I saw him, non stop energy and what a tight band. Did a great set of Haggard songs. Was a bit ashamed that only about 150 in attendance, this guy deserves so much more. If he comes to your town it’s a do not miss.
June 7, 2024 @ 10:15 am
I hope he gets more attention soon. He deserves it. The one cool thing is that there has been a better turnout every year since I first saw him. A lot of people haven’t heard of him but I feel like that is changing.
June 8, 2024 @ 6:46 am
3rd and Lindsley just isn’t a great place for a show like his. No room to dance or move your feet. So you just kinda have sit there like you’re watching a dinner show.
I can only imagine what his west coast shows are like.
Regardless, you have to catch this band wherever you can. Absolutely on fire.
June 7, 2024 @ 9:44 am
This album slaps. Great guitar work.
June 7, 2024 @ 11:33 am
I didn’t hear a 12-string guitar so it’s not a real country record.
June 7, 2024 @ 12:08 pm
+5 points.
June 7, 2024 @ 12:07 pm
Killer stuff, love it from top to bottom.
June 8, 2024 @ 6:45 pm
Hard agree
June 7, 2024 @ 12:10 pm
Awesome album. It’s always refreshing when an artist cares enough to work with producers / engineers / studios who know how to make an album sound like it should. Every one of his albums has sounded amazing.
June 7, 2024 @ 1:04 pm
Now this is what I’m talking about!!
June 7, 2024 @ 1:51 pm
Great album. Not that I don’t appreciate a great singer or strong storytelling, but I prefer when there’s a more prominent instrumental performance.
The first music I listened to as a kid was, of course, the stuff my parents were into, like Randy Travis and Alan Jackson. When I heard Metallica, though, I went off on my own course. But after getting into the bluegrass scene here in NC, I’ve been revisiting my early roots, and recently became a regular Saving Country Music reader.
At the end of day, heavy metal is still my favorite genre, and along with that comes a love of impressive musicianship. In terms of country genres, I wonder if there’s any particular ones that tend to emphasize the whole band a bit more? Bluegrass might be the obvious answer, and I do enjoy it, but I tend to prefer something a bit closer to the traditional country sound. I was really impressed with Pat Reedy’s album earlier this year, for example. The singing might be the star of the show, but there were hot solos too.
June 7, 2024 @ 1:59 pm
For whatever reason, country music has always emphasized and branded itself more behind the lead singer. There are exceptions of course like Alabama. But that’s just kind of the way country music is.
Silverada (prev. Mike and the Moonpies) would be the obvious suggestion. They are a “group” that also features a lot of excellent instrumentation. Turnpike Troubadours would be another.
June 7, 2024 @ 3:18 pm
Yeah, I’m not expecting any 2-minute guitar solos or anything crazy like that. I just like it when the whole band gets to shine a bit. When it’s a whole album focused on the singing 90% of the time, it can start to sound a little samey to me. It kicks up the energy level when a great fiddle riff break through or what have you. I’ll just have to keep an eye on all the album reviews. It’s not all to my taste, but I’ve found some great stuff I’ve been missing out on.
June 8, 2024 @ 5:36 am
Marty Stuart and his band can tear it up
.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx_l9kLxycw
June 9, 2024 @ 9:56 am
Agree with JBS on his points. My favorite music is the Duane era Allman Brothers and other great bands that allow talented musicians plenty of room around the vocals.
Really love the playing on this superb album.
June 9, 2024 @ 1:31 pm
https://youtu.be/9mdCN5P1UpY?si=UGrwnlLVhLOF8k5O
The band gets a lot of chance to shine in some old Alan Jackson stuff
June 10, 2024 @ 9:40 am
Agreed on Alan Jackson records (Keith Stegall as a producer lets the musicians have some fun). Also a hard agree on Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives. Good Lord.
Some other things to check out:
Dwight Yoakam records produced by Pete Anderson. Lots of hot guitar work and great fiddle and steel work on this one, too. Top to bottom, If There Was a Way is a great album where Dwight’s and really shone, but there ain’t a bad one from the Pete Anderson era. Later Dwight has moments, especially Keith Gattis tearing it up, but Pete Anderson was just the right guy to helm Dwight’s records IMO.
Buck Owens and the Buckaroos or any of the Buckaroos’ work without Buck for that matter. Telecasters played just right.
Waylon Jennings’ 1970s output. Ralph Mooney on steel, Waylong on guitar, and a killer country band at its peak. Live stuff from this era is incredible, but the studio albums ain’t no slouch.
Clint Black’s first three or four albums. He and Hayden Nichols can both pick it, and the band is tight in these albums but stone country.
Asleep at the Wheel, Bob Wills, and western swing in general.
Willie Nelson. Really anything he did after leaving Nashville. He loves allowing his band to showcase, and his guitar work is totally distinct and pretty awesome.
Shaver. You might particularly enjoy the Tramp on Your Street album and Electric Shaver.
June 7, 2024 @ 7:48 pm
Interested in what heavy metal, hard rock you think is good these days ? I reach for things I grew up with like Iron Maiden, ACDC, Motorhead and mostly early Metallica ( last couple of albums have been a bit better but went off them with st anger, Load and reload) .
June 8, 2024 @ 5:41 am
Try recent albums by:
Florence Black
Accept
Saxon
June 8, 2024 @ 11:15 am
Check out:
Megaton Sword – Might & Power
Enforced – War Remains
Riot City – Electric Elite
Wayfarer – American Gothic
June 8, 2024 @ 6:24 am
I can relate to this comment, though my influences are a little further back. I grew up with my parents listening to the outlaw era of Waylon, Willie, and Merle. Though country music ins’t generally credited for great musicianship, I think that there have been some great musicians in the genre, especially in that era. My dad used to love the live albums with the extended jams just for that reason. He swore Roy Clark was the best guitarist ever.
Like you, I swayed into hard rock and metal as a teen, but it was Sabbath, Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and then later the Hair Metal era. I slowly began drifting back to country when guys like Dallas Moore, Shooter Jennings, Jackson Taylor, and others started playing country music I recognized. Country has become my favorite genre these days, but I still like to rock out sometimes. I also have a great appreciation for good musicianship, especially guitar and steel. This Jesse Daniel album is high on both.
June 12, 2024 @ 10:06 am
Metal fan here, too. I dig a lot of different genres because of their unique qualities, and I don’t hold all genres to the same standards. I listen to metal mainly for the raw energy and hard driving instrumentation – the lyricism is secondary and metal lyrics are almost always incredibly dumb anyway. With country music, it’s basically the opposite for me. I listen to country music for the lyricism and storytelling – the instrumentation, though still very important, is secondary. A great country song can frequently have just a vocal and simple guitar accompaniment.
June 7, 2024 @ 1:53 pm
Just listening to it and its staggering to think the Nashville music industry hasn’t embraced him and his wonderful music! Not a lot of other artists who continually keep creating great music like Jesse! Keep Rollin On Jesse!
June 7, 2024 @ 8:36 pm
The embedded song sound great, I didn’t know he had room for improvement. Hoping he schedules a show nearby.
June 8, 2024 @ 6:10 am
Man, I’m really diggin’ this this album. I’ve been a fan of Daniel since his debut, which to this point I felt was his best. That album didn’t have the big time production, but seemed to capture the real Jesse Daniel. While the next two albums were good, and the producers may have been an influence of the sound, I thought Rollin’ On was a little to similar to the retro country sound that has become popular. It didn’t seem to really capture the real Jesse Daniel. Beyond These Walls was an improvement, but still seemed to lack the initial energy of the debut album.
Taking over the producer reigns was the right move here for Daniel. This album takes the best of the songwriting of the last two albums, and the energy of the debut, and finally brings out his best album yet. Great songs, great sound, awesome musicianship. Jesse Daniel has just jumped up to the top with the big guns of country music.
June 8, 2024 @ 10:43 am
…the rating is too generous. jesse daniel is fine and makes enjoyable music but is not a vocalist i should write home about.
June 8, 2024 @ 1:02 pm
What vocalists do you admire then? Not knocking your opinion just interested
June 9, 2024 @ 4:45 am
…that’s a fair question. also to be fair to jesse daniel, i do not compare his singing to all-time greats like jones, haggard, strait, travis, dunn, frizzell or gibson, just to name a few, but to actual singers sporting a hat, that i’ve heard live in the past few years.
randall king and canadian jade eagleson sounded really good. jake worthington also – at least on record. sunny sweeney, jamie lin wilson and courtney patton impress me every time live on stage as well as courtney’s husband jason eady. alex key, who was highlighted here just recently, and zach top made me listen up with their voices.
having said that, jesse daniel’s voice and vocal performance might just fit his music and personality perfectly when experienced live. just on record it’s, however, not enough to make me reach for a pen.
June 12, 2024 @ 10:44 am
When I first heard Jesse Daniel years back, it did take me a minute to come around to his vocals as well. I can’t say exactly what it was that made it tough for me initially. He’s got a serviceable voice, better than most, very clear and nasal, but not a ton of soul or grit. Being from Northern California and growing up in the punk rock scene, I can’t imagine he has a natural “country” accent either – though obviously he sings and speaks that way now. By now, doesn’t bother me. Those qualities in country music are rarely authentic and almost always an act or exaggeration anyway.
June 8, 2024 @ 2:28 pm
Really like what I have heard, especially the title track. Hopefully I can find a copy when I go to Colorado tomorrow. Hope to see a show of his somewhere in the near future.
June 8, 2024 @ 6:11 pm
Hell yeah.
June 9, 2024 @ 3:50 pm
In a just musical world, Jesse Daniels is the big-time star instead of Zach Bryan.
June 10, 2024 @ 4:12 am
See i like a lot of folk with unusual voices or people who arguably cant sing in peoples minds but the words and the voice fit the music . For example some might say Colter Wall hasnt got a great voice but i love it and i think it fits what hes doing.
Im not made up on Jesse Daniel im not sure but he sounds like him to me nobody else.
I think he will grow on me
June 10, 2024 @ 6:47 am
Well that’s an asinine thing to say.
Why not both?
June 10, 2024 @ 4:24 am
I’ve listened to the record three times over and say that it is right up my alley. great songs and great musicianship, I think Caleb Melo is at the top of his game with the steel, he is very inventive and retro at the same time. Jesse is just getting better and really hitting his stride!
June 12, 2024 @ 10:26 am
Another really solid release from Jesse Daniel. Saw him live last year in a small venue here in DC and he and his band were absolute pros onstage.
Whoever books Dwight Yoakam’s openers needs to reach out to Jesse Daniel immediately (or vice versa). Saw Dwight live recently in a 6,000 capacity venue and, though he had the Mavericks as second opener (who put on show-stealing performance), the first opener was this awful, cookie-cutter drone named Landon Parker. I kept thinking, man Jesse Daniel needs to be opening for Dwight! Jesse has always pushed that Cali/Bakersfield sound, and I think Dwight’s crowd would love him.
June 13, 2024 @ 6:26 pm
This needs to happen ASAP. I don’t know why he chose RL in the past. Horrible.