In 2023, Jess Williamson released Time Ain’t Accidental, which earned a spot on our list of the best country albums of that year. Now, the Texas-born singer-songwriter is announcing its followup, A Mile South Of Heaven, out this fall. She’s sharing the lead single “Goodbye To All That” today, and it’s an emotional, pedal steel-filled tune inspired by Joan Didion.
“Didion’s essay is about leaving New York after eight years and how ‘it’s distinctly possible to stay too long at the fair,'” Williamson says. “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.”
A Mile South Of Heaven is produced by Shooter Jennings and is her debut for New West Records. “Depending on your outlook, a mile south of heaven may sound sad, or it may sound hopeful,” Williamson explains of the title. “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.”
Watch the music video for “Goodbye To All That” below.
TRACKLIST:
01 “Goodbye To All That”
02 “High Heels And Blue Jeans”
03 “Country Mile”
04 “A Mile South Of Heaven”
05 “Tracking The Tropics”
06 “Dark Day In Dallas”
07 “Hum Of The City”
08 “Texas Time”
09 “Someone Else’s Horse”
10 “Legends Die”
11 “Battle Scar”
12 “The Gem And Mineral Show”
A Mile South Of Heaven is out 10/9 via New West. Pre-order it here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source stereogum.com ’
