REVEW: Douglas Wayne “Coyote”

Douglas Wayne — Coyote

Singer songwriter Douglas Wayne, aka DW’s debut album Coyote sounds more like a collection from a seasoned songwriter than a first album. And that’s because it is.

A journeyman East Nashvillian for 17 years, he’s been writing and pitching songs almost as long, as he tells it in his recent Americana Highways livestream on Facebook.

The ten songs in this collection are diverse and catchy, with some great songwriting and some good, fun, old-fashioned ass-kicking Americana rock ‘n roll.

A little James McMurty, a little Neil Young, a hint of Steve Earle, one listen and you’ll wonder why you haven’t heard DW until now. I know I did.

The collection opens with “A Buck Ten,” a catchy, rock anthem sounding number about driving fast late at night, top down, cool, late night air rushing past your face, stars all around—the perfect song to blast doing just that.

“High Wire,” is another catchy number, DW’s voice taking on more of a country sound with just the right amount of twang as he croons “Love’s like walking a high, high wire, don’t look down, don’t look down…” “L.A.” is a beautiful singer-songwriter number, tinged with melancholy but rooted in acceptance, like missing something—or someone—you once loved but have since moved on from.

These are songs written from a life of experience, one that’s been full of hard knocks, but DW takes the bitter and squeezes some sweet out of it. They are songs written with the maturity of age, and a tinge of rebellious outlaw attitude of someone who refuses to compromise on his beliefs and knows sometimes you just have to say, “Fuck it,” and be true to your own damn self.    

“Letting Go of Hanging On,” is an upbeat, brassy, bluesy number featuring Jake Botts, James Mason, and Andrew Golden on horns. “Coyote,” is a darker, more brooding, bluesy rocker about the trials of trying to make it in the music industry in Nashville. Comparing himself to a coyote, living on the fringes of the music industry. It’s both his ode to, and eff you to the industry, ,

“HEY YA’LL” is a rock anthem and DW’s request for humankind to get it together as one. (Americana Highways premiered this one, here: Video Premiere: Douglas Wayne “HEY YA’LL”)

“Bourbon & Water,” is a swingy number you are gonna wanna two-step to. “I’m ‘a Gonna,” will keep you out on the dance floor with it’s country-twang. “Ain’t Young, Ain’t Pretty,” heats it up, honky tonk roadhouse-style. And “Primrose Mile,” ends the album on a gentle rock ballad that conjures up the sounds of Tom Petty.

Released Friday on One Horse Nashville records, Coyote was produced by D.W. DeHart and Daniel Dennis and recorded at Prime Cut Studio, East Nashville, TN. It was engineered and mixed by Daniel Dennis, with additional recording at Bias Studios, Springfield, VA, where it was engineered by Ken Barnum. Mastering was done by Brian Lucey, Magic Garden Mastering, LA.

Pick up or download your copy today. For more info, visit: www.douglaswaynemusic.com

or here:

https://open.spotify.com/album/6ejr1w4ymE6NXUGhinPnME?si=w0bIcEZcTna0iLoAwAuczg

If you are near Nashville, check out the album release show, May 3, at The 5 Spot.

Musicians include: Douglas Wayne on vocals and guitars; Daniel Dennis on guitars, bass, drums, percussion; Lee J. Turner on keyboards (Darius Rucker, Bo Bice, Miranda Lambert); Mike Daly on pedal steel (Hank Williams Jr, Travis Tritt); Tim Lorsch on fiddle, cello; Madison Hardy Dennison background vocals and John Shaw on acoustic guitar/steel guitar.