James McMurtry’s New Album, ‘The Horses and the Hounds’, Has a ‘Los Angeles Vibe’

After a seven-year hiatus, singer-songwriter and industry veteran James McMurtry is due to release a new album. The Horses and the Hounds is set for release on Aug. 20, and will be McMurtry’s first with New West Records.

The Horses and the Hounds promises McMurtry’s well-developed sound, which could only come from an experienced musician, accompanied by personal narratives that range from reflection to revelation. "There’s a definite Los Angeles vibe," says McMurtry of the record in a press release.

McMurty used The Horses and the Hounds as an opportunity to call on some old friends, who just so happen to be some of the industry’s best. Grammy-winning producer Ross Hogarth (who has produced for Van Halen and Keb’ Mo’, among others), recorded the album with McCarty at Jackson Browne’s Groove Masters in Santa Monica, Calif. It will be the third album the pair have collaborated on, following Too Long in the Wasteland and Candyland; their working relationship began 30 years ago.

McMurtry also enlisted Hogarth, guitarist and singer-songwriter David Grissom and Texas drummer Daren Hess as co-writers for The Horses and the Hounds. The first track from the record, “Canola Fields,” is available now; Rolling Stone Country describes it as “a song that takes stock of where McMurtry is at in life.”

The Horses and the Hounds is available for pre-order now, and full album details are below. McMurtry is currently touring, with dates scheduled at this point into early October.

James McMurtry, The Horses and the Hounds Tracklist:

1. “Canola Fields”
2. “If It Don’t Bleed”
3. “Operation Never Mind”
4. “Jackie”
5. “Decent Man”
6. “Vaquero”
7. “The Horses and the Hounds”
8. “Ft. Walton Wake-Up Call”
9. “What’s the Matter”
10. “Blackberry Winter”

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