Josiah and the Bonnevilles – As Is
As Is introduced me to Josiah and the Bonnevilles for the first time, and it’s a discovery I’m genuinely glad to have made. The album’s ten tracks were selected from an astonishing hundred songs written over the past year — an editing process that suggests both prolific creativity and a clear artistic compass. Whether these are the “best” ten is something only Josiah himself could know, but what’s here is a consistently strong, confident collection that speaks to a writer fully in command of his craft.
Across the record, Josiah collaborates with an impressive roster of co-writers — Scott Harris, Joel Little, Colin Pastore, Jake Finch, Nick Bailey, Gavin Donald Maher, Anna Hamilton, Marc Scibilia, Natalie Hemby, Todd Clark, Brian Stanley, and Sean Scolnick — a list that hints at a songwriter who is both in demand and deeply engaged in the wider creative community.
The sound throughout As Is sits comfortably within the Americana and roots tradition, with Josiah’s distinctive vocal tone providing warmth and emotional grounding against understated, organic arrangements. Fans of Jason Isbell will find much to appreciate here: the storytelling is sharp, the melodies assured, and the performances quietly compelling.
A standout moment arrives with “Where It Starts,” which features some wonderfully expressive harmonica work and a narrative lyric that pulls you straight into its world:
It was supposed to be a good night
Turned into a bar fight and
Ended with a car ride downtown
He was booked at the station
Asked for an explanation
Said maybe I’m just wasted
But he left this part out about
Another highlight is “Mountain Girl,” whose lilting chorus and toe‑tapping banjo make it one of the album’s most immediately engaging tracks. In truth, there’s very little here that doesn’t merit recommendation; the consistency is one of the record’s quiet strengths.
A bit of context: Josiah and the Bonnevilles recently announced their signing with Rounder Records, with As Is arriving on May 8. Co‑produced by Josiah Leming and Konrad Snyder, it marks his first full‑length release since 2023’s breakthrough Endurance. On the strength of this new material, it’s an album I’ll be purchasing myself upon release.
Get your copy here: https://rounder.com/pages/josiah-and-the-bonnevilles
As Is was produced by Konrad Snyder and Josiah Leming, mixed, engineered and recorded by Konrad Snyder at The Study; and mastered at Sterling Sound.
Musicians on the album are Josiah Leming on vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, classical guitar, baritone, piano, banjo, harmonica, slide guitar, bass, synth, drums, percussion, tambourine, claps, and background vocals; Brian Stanley on drums, electric guitar, dobro, and background vocals; Ryan Levine on pedal steel, banjo, bass and background vocals; Colin Croom on pedal steel, dobro, background vocals; Konrad Snyder on electric guitar and percussion; Juan Solorzano on electric guitar, pedal steel and background vocals; Anna Hamilton on electric guitar and background vocals; Jon Estes on cello; Philip Bowen on fiddle; and Brenna MacMillan on background vocals.