Hard One To Turn Down features five self-penned tracks including current single “Tall Boy”
Sea Gayle Music is hoping for a solar superstorm with new 23-year-old artist CJ Solar, a Baton Rouge native bringing a one of a kind edge to country music with his brand new EP, Hard One to Turn Down. A combination of country, southern rock and Delta blues influences make up the debut project, released by Sea Gayle Records. Available on iTunes this Friday, April 15, Hard One to Turn Down features five hooking, radio-ready tracks, all co-written by Solar.
Included is the current single “Tall Boy”, which is an upbeat, nod of appreciation to a supersized ice cold beer and its ability to diminish relationship woes. The single’s ‘get-over-her’ lyrics wail:
So order up a tall boy / ‘Cause it makes you feel tall, boy
Don’t worry at all, boy / it’s gonna be alright
Listen to the full track now on Spotify.
Another contagious track on the EP, “Just Another Day in the Country,” features a vocal collaboration with country artist Jerrod Niemann, whose most recent single, “Blue Bandana,” was co-penned by Solar. The tune follows the quest for an elusive gypsy girl in a blue bandana the spotted in a crowd, jamming out at music festivals, who never stays for too long.
There’s smoky grit to Solar’s bluesy vocal style, which matches his dark bolero brimmed image. Originally venturing from Cajun country to Music City to attend Belmont University, Solar signed a songwriting deal with Sea Gayle Music before graduation. Since, he’s garnered songwriting credits for some of today’s biggest stars like Niemann and Justin Moore.
An exceptional guitarist, Solar played the majority of rhythm guitar as well as all the solos on the EP.
“Hard One To Turn Down is full of crunchy guitars, clever down-home lyrics and just a hint of danger,” writes Chris Parton for Country Weekly. “The dangerous feel likely comes from all the time CJ has spent honing his skills at rough-and-tumble roadhouses and tailgate parties across the South.”
Solar said, “I wanted it to sound as much like my live show as possible, so I played the bulk of the rhythm parts and all of the guitar solos, just how I play them live. I love the way it sounds, and it might not sound like everything else in Nashville, but it sounds like me.”
Music moguls and fans in Nashville have likely spotted Solar performing at songwriter’s rounds around town and at the popular “Whiskey Jam” at Winner’s bar, where he filmed a live performance music video for “Tall Boy.” The video premiered exclusively with The Boot on March 22.
Solar is currently on tour performing at dive bars, clubs and festivals across the U.S. opening up for artists like the Cadillac Three, Old Dominion and the Randy Rogers Band.
Download Hard One To Turn Down on iTunes and Tunecore beginning Friday, April 15, 2016.
Stay tuned to CJSolar.com for updates, and get the conversation going about the new EP on Twitter (@CJSolar) and Facebook (@CJSolarBand) using the hashtag #HardOneToTurnDown!
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