Album Premiere: JM Stevens’ “Invisible Lines”

Americana Highways brings you this premiere album stream of JM Stevens’ Invisible Lines (Chicken Ranch Records), due out Friday November 8th. Musicians assembled on this album are JM Stevens on vocals and guitars; George Duron on drums; Andrew Duplantis on bass; Kevin Lovejoy on keys; Marty Muse on pedal steel; Carolyn Somes on backing vocals and Benito “Ace” Acevedo on harmonica. On “Maybe I Love You,” the horns are Russell Haight on saxophone; Adrian Ruiz on trumpet. On “Invisible Lines” are the Ex Romantika Horns: Iram Reyes on trumpet, Josh Balleza on trombone, and Eric Gonzalez on saxophone.

Invisible Lines was recorded and mixed by James Stevens at EAR Studio in Austin, TX, and mastered by Jim Wilson Mastering. Out on the rock ‘n roll edge of the world, JM Stevens has crafted a groovy album with a ’70s vibe. Invisible Lines is electric rock with occasional euphoric horns in the mix.

All the songs on here I’d written within the last year and a half or so. I was in a state of flux personally and in my music life, and looking back I guess they reflect that somewhat. They’d all started out on just guitar, and I played them live a bunch solo to make sure they worked at the core before bringing in other players. I was stoked to have several Austin musicians I’ve always wanted to work with but hadn’t had the chance yet take part, and I tried my best to keep the recording process pretty loose and live and forgo the urges to smooth over every bump in the road. It feels good to me, like a timestamp of the moment. — JM Stevens