Early James preps new Dan Auerbach-produced LP, touring w/ Black Keys (new video)

Alabama singer/songwriter Early James is gearing up to release his second album, Strange Time To Be Alive, on August 19 via Dan Auerbach's Easy Eye Sound label (pre-order). Dan also produced it, and James will also be opening for his band The Black Keys on tour this summer. The album was made with guitarist Tom Bukovac (Willie Nelson, Keb’ Mo’), drummer Jay Bellerose (Sharon Van Etten, Allen Toussaint), keyboardist Mike Rojas (Tyler Childers, Yola), and James' longtime bandmate Adrian Marmolejo on upright bass, and there's a duet with Sierra Ferrell on the song "Real Low Down Lonesome." "I think it’s okay to admit you feel crazy or uncomfortable in your own skin—those are very human feelings that we need to say out loud," James says. "I hope this record reminds people that everyone feels crazy sometimes, and that the real crazy people are the ones who won’t admit self-doubt."

Dan Auerbach adds, "James is very particular with his lyrics and makes such uncommon choices, so I wanted to keep it raw and let that shine as much as possible. His writing is so idiosyncratic; there’s not one song that feels like anything you’ve heard before. But then there’s also something in his sound that feels carved out of stone, like it’s from another time—it’s a very strange mix."

We're premiering the video for the sorta-title track "What A Strange Time To Be Alive," a rustic ballad with a world-weariness that makes James sound wise beyond his 28 years, and as you may have guessed from the title, it's inspired by the past two years. "This one was a pleasure to write with Austin Jenkins and Rob Thomas," James tells us. "We started writing it in early April of 2020 and we all sort of thought the world would go back to normal in a few weeks. At least we hoped so. We had the first verse, bridge, and chorus. Then throughout that next year I would just kind of reflect on the quarter of the year that just disappeared and get a new verse out of it. I really dig this video and I think it encapsulates the feeling of that strange first year. It was a joy to work with Andy and Cammie Windley." Watch the Andy M Hawkes-directed video below.

Early James -- 2022 Tour Dates
May 27 - New Orleans, LA - Toulouse Theater**
June 24 - Oxford MS - Proud Larry's
June 25 - Jackson, MS - Martin’s
June 26 - Mobile, AL - Callaghan’s
July 8 - Birmingham, AL - Dave's Pub
Aug 24 - West Palm Beach, FL - iThink Amphitheater ***
Aug 25 - Tampa, FL - MidFlorida Credit Union ***
Aug 27 - Atlanta, GA - Ameris Bank Amphitheater ***
Aug 28 - Huntsville, AL - Huntsville Amphitheater ***
Aug 30 - Charleston, SC - Volvo Stadium ***
Sept 1 - Raleigh, NC - Coastal Credit Union ***
Sept 2 - Lansing, WV - Burrito Bar
Sept 3 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center ***
Sept 6 - Toronto, ON - Budweiser Stage ***
Sept 7 - Detroit, MI - DTE Energy Music Theater ***
Sept 9 - Cleveland, OH - Blossom Music Center ***
Sept 11 - Roswell, GA - Chattahoochee Nature Center
Sept 15-17 - Nashville, TN - Americana Fest
Oct 1 - Columbiana, AL - Old Mill Square Park
Oct 2 - Athens, GA - Wildwood Revival Festival
Oct 14 - Austin, TX – Austin City Limits Festival

** supporting Paul Cauthen
*** supporting The Black Keys