With his first album since signing with BNA Records, the three-time Grammy nominee Pat Green is looking to take his music to the masses when he releases ‘Cannonball’ on August 22nd for the suggested retail price of $18.98.
The Texas native Green commands a position in the music world uniquely his own – with the ability to team with country superstars such as Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban for tours, but also tour with pop/rock bands such as The Dave Matthews Band.
His explosive new album ‘Cannonball’ captures Green’s joyous, provocative songwriting style with new sharpness and swagger. Working for the first time with a powerhouse Nashville label, Green and his supporters expect ‘Cannonball’ to transform him from massive cult star to emerging country superstar.
“I feel like this album is a home run,” Green said in a press release. “I wanted to take our brand of independent music and give it a fresh shot at making a bigger impact. That’s exactly what I think we’ve accomplished when I hear these songs.”
Green’s career has always lived on the border of both worlds. His unique lyrics present a distinct vision of the world that reaches outsiders and fans of off-the-beaten-path music.
“It’s really the core market of music fans that I still need to tap into,” Green continued. “I’ve always figured it was just a matter of timing, and now I think our timing is perfect. I think this is the best album I could make, and I think I have the best team behind me.”
Green has built a career unlike any other in the modern music business. In an era when many artists shoot to stardom and sometimes fall just as quickly, Green has risen through grassroots support, common-man appeal and an engaging live show. After becoming a Texas hero through self-generated independent albums, Green chose to take his music to a national audience through a side door.
“We signed our first major label deal out of New York so we could maintain an independent status,” he said. “We found out that it gave us more artistic leeway, but it also gave us less access to industry insiders.”
By now, his independence is established. No one’s going to try and tell Green to change his distinctive musical vision or songwriting style, not after earning Grammy nominations and earning a Top 3 hit with “Wave on Wave.”
“We never fit in with the cookie-cutter stuff, and for a while that was what dominated the airwaves,” he said. “Now it seems that radio is more excited than ever about breaking new acts and bringing new blood into the fold. I think they want material that fits the format but doesn’t sound like everything else. And that’s right where we’re at.”
At the same time, Green’s music will come out through one of Nashville’s most successful and progressive record labels.
“Working with BNA and Joe Galante, we’re stepping up to the plate with all the necessary tools to get the job done for the first time,” he said. “I think we’re getting a real chance at having a big impact. I couldn’t feel better about where we’re at right now.”
With his new songs, he worked hard at concision and directness, while maintaining the personality and quirky flavor that gives his music its originality. “I want my music to be reasonably intelligent, but I also want it to be interesting and fun,” he explained. “I just want to tell my tale from the tallest mountain and with the loudest megaphone I can find.”
“Feels Like It Should,” the first single from Cannonball, encapsulates the spirit of the new album.
“It’s all about knowing you’re on top of the world and soaking up that feeling,” he says. “I wrote that with my drummer Justin Pollard and Brett James, we really wanted to create the perfect summer song.”
AOL Music agreed. “Feel’s Like It Should” got its premiere on the AOL Music First Listen program, which previously has introduced singles by Kenny Chesney, Usher, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Christina Aguilera and Destiny’s Child. Green also cites his enthusiasm for such new songs as “Dixie Lullaby,” “Way Back Texas,” “Love Like That” and the rowdy title cut.
“I think is the most thoughtful and consistent record we’ve made,” he says. “I don’t like using words like ‘mature’ or ‘grown-up,’ because I’m still a kid at heart. I don’t want to have to act grown-up all the time. I’m a father, and I have to make the right decisions, so I think the balance of wanting to stay youthful yet live right comes through on these songs.”
As his attitude and words prove, Green has no problem believing that Cannonball is a career album for him.
“I have to believe in what I’m doing—that’s what has gotten me over every hill,” he says. “I’ve got a big heart, and I’ve got a strong desire to climb to the top cliff and jump off. If you’re going to do that, you have to think you deserve it. We’ve been doing this a while now, and it just keeps getting better. I’m as ready as I can be for what comes next.”
‘Cannonball’ is now available at Amazon . Visit the music database for more information and a complete track listing.
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