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Jordan Messerole’s new country album goes beyond religion and into the realm of the spiritual

Jordan Messerole plays a guitar in IPR studios.
Lucius Pham
/
Iowa Public Radio

Central Iowa musician Jordan Messerole released his seventh studio album Oct. 20. This new album is a departure from his established sound, and finds him digging deep — in both his lyrics and vocally.

Give Iowa songwriter Jordan Messerole’s new album a cursory listen, and you’ll almost certainly appreciate the lush, classic production and his rich vocal delivery, elements that shine brightly on each of the album’s 11 tracks.

But listen a little closer to St. Something or Other and you might find glimpses of a surprisingly inclusive spirituality hiding in plain sight, tying several of the songs together and elevating the material above a standard country album.

Messerole was born into and raised in the Lutheran Church during his upbringing in northwest Iowa. But he said the spirituality showcased on the album isn’t meant to come off like a decree. He’s not saying any particular creed is better than another. Rather, the characters in his songs find ways to tap into some force beyond their comprehension that guides them when things get difficult.

An image of Jordan Messerole's latest album cover.

Take the sixth track, “You Ain’t Going Nowhere.” At first blush, it sounds like the song’s protagonist is facing an angry lover telling them they’ll never amount to anything. But Messerole said the lover is a stand-in for any obstacle in life that holds us back from our full potential. The protagonist of the song exhibits a zen-like acceptance of life on life’s terms, a detachment that might inspire jealousy in saints and monks.

“The joke’s on her because nowhere’s right where I want to be / I just keep doing what I’m doing, my ship’s bound to come in someday,” he sings over a greasy honky tonk rhythm, lively pedal steel and twanging lead guitar.

That spiritual outlook, that we should trust how the universe is unfolding around us — even in difficult moments — creeps up at multiple points in the album, and Messerole said that’s no accident. It’s a philosophical question he’s been wrestling with, and it informed the songs he wrote for the album.

“I can get on board with a lot of it, and I’m not saying it’s right or wrong,” Messerole said. “I’m just saying there’s more going on than what we can put words to… That uncertainty colors some of the lyrics. This is an exploration, not a dictation of the truth."

St. Something or Other emerged from an Iowa Arts Council creative catalyst grant Messerole received earlier this year. The funding allowed Messerole to produce the album as a “one off” project intended to be his definitive take on the classic country and western sound. He drew songwriting inspiration from the likes of Buck Owens and B.W. Stevenson, a cult songwriter who penned country classics like “My Maria.”

St. Something or Other is Messerole’s seventh full-length album. His previous efforts have drawn recognition from the Rural Roots Music Commission and the Americana Highways reader’s poll. While country and western have influenced his previous recordings, those albums sound more like Americana and roots rock than traditional country. That's not the case with St. Something or Other. Messerole conceived this collection as a pure country and western album.

He recorded the album at Golden Bear Records in Des Moines and enlisted the help of an expert cast of supporting musicians to bring the country and western vision to life. Bryan Vanderpool handled production and engineering as well as drums and percussion. Jay Foote played bass, and Steph Graham filled out the songs with vocal harmonies. Dave Alfstad provided expert country-tinged lead guitar and pedal steel throughout the album.

But it’s Messerole’s lead vocal that shines on the songs. He delivers a velvety warmth in the lower registers of his range that recalls country masters such as Merle Haggard. Messerole said he intentionally went for those smooth lower tones in his approach to this album to reinforce the project’s classic country vibe. He said his approach as a vocalist usually aligns with what the song calls for. His previous work often features melodies that take his voice to higher and harsher tones. The vocal takes on St. Something or Other sound smoother and warmer by contrast, qualities that may have been aided here and there by a little liquid lubrication, Messerole admitted.

“I’d been sick for a couple weeks, and we had to postpone some of the studio work because I couldn’t hardly talk, let alone sing,” he recalled. “I was just coming off being sick and I’d have a little glass of tequila, and I’d go in the booth and sing it three times and patch together the takes that sounded the best.”

St. Something or Other was released Oct. 20, and is available to stream. Messerole will sell a limited run of vinyl pressings on his website and at live shows.

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Fred Love is a contributing writer covering music for Iowa Public Radio. Love is a father, husband, communications professional and passionate music fan. He lives in Ames where he participates in the local music scene and is a co-producer of the Maximum Ames Music Festival. He blogs at rockroads.home.blog.