Jackson County Line
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Jackson County Line

Roswell, Georgia, United States | SELF

Roswell, Georgia, United States | SELF
Band Americana Rock

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"On the Side"

Kevin Jackson takes time out from his gig as Atlanta band the Drexlers' guitarist and backing vocalist to front this side project. The band displays a fine and mellow take on Americana painted in shades of blue with the addition of trumpet and cello. It makes for a cozy and distinctive blend. The three-song demo is especially impressive considering this will be the quintet's first gig. - Atlanta Journal and Constitution


"Alt-Country Packs a Quiet Punch"

Atlanta’s Jackson County Line camps out at the mellow end of the alt.country spectrum, and the band’s sweet, laidback harmonies and all-acoustic instrumentation conjure the hippie-cowpoke ethos of the early Eagles and Harvest-era Neil Young. But this is no mere exercise in retro nostalgia. Chamber-pop cello and muted trumpet—hardly mainstays out on the trail—are featured prominently, and lead singer/songwriter Kevin Jackson’s reedy, soulful tenor is more indebted to Bill Withers and Dobie Grey than Don Henley. Jackson is also a fine writer, transforming the loping “Let Me Ride” into an apocalyptic nightmare and using understatement to devastating effect on the deceptively lovely title track, which chronicles a harrowing night spent in a jail cell because of racial profiling. Jackson, who is black, is clearly one cowpoke who has more on his mind than a peaceful, easy feeling. This is a gently moving and disquieting debut.
-Andy Whitman - Paste Magazine


"Georgia Music Magazine"

In front man Kevin Jackson’s “County,” life is mellow and more than a little lonely, longing and contemplative.

Acoustic guitar washes add steel-gray highlights to the stark, sepia-toned landscapes where time stands still, lingering

calmly in the tranquil twilight of a perfect sunset. Jackson’s soulful, mournful vocals dominate the collection, with

scattered images torn from a rural, Desolation Row mindset. Narratives spiral in oft-disjointed fragments, offering

a rusty, paint-splattered recollection of a half-forgotten dream. Jackson’s languid, near-subliminal imagery tends to

float by almost unnoticed on first listen, burying into the sandy recesses of the fertile sonic estate. With capable

backing from the band’s restrained arsenal of mandolins, cellos, harmonicas and drums, the music anchors the

evocative pieces comfortably between Southern folk and Western Americana. Standout tracks include the laidback,

but ultimately mesmeric “Let Me Ride,” “Burden To Fly” and “Losing Faith.”
-Lee Valentine Smith - Georgia Music Magazine


"Soulful with a southern drawl"

Jackson County Line is a 6-piece band, based in and around Atlanta, Georgia.

From the initial harmonica slurs that open the album on “Let me Ride”, JCL’s music invites you in and you’re willing to go wherever they take you. With each drag of the bow across the cello strings, the sultry trumpet, a touch of mandolin and fiddle, the steady rhythm section in the driver’s seat and Kevin Jackson navigating through song, this is one journey you’ll be glad to go on.

The songs of Jackson County Line are both lyrically and musically diverse, with topics covering life and death, love and loss, racism, and spirituality.

“Drown” is an up-tempo lament told through metaphor and poetic imagery. Matt Phillips on mandolin duty and Tim Anderson on cello play off each other perfectly. The title track “Jackson County Line” serves as the centerpiece for the CD, and is a reminder that discrimination is still very much alive today. It tells the story of a man arrested for nothing more than the color of his skin. Phillips’ trumpet and Jackson’s voice transport you to a rural Southern America highway at the wrong time of night. “All Alone” is an instrumental performed beautifully on classical guitar by Jackson. Jackson solos with his acoustic guitar on “If You Leave”, a sad, sweet song begging “If you leave, I may never see you ever” through amazing harmonies. “Burden to Fly” is a vocally-charged, gospel-tinged track accompanied mostly by harmonica, acoustic guitar, and subtle percussion. The track closes the CD…and at the end, you’ll be ready for another “Ride”.

Cade Lewis (Bass) and Steve Warner (Percussion) provide a focused rhythm section to serve these very delicate songs.

Verdict: The Jackson County Line is one you’ll want to cross again and again. - Muse Muse


Discography

"Jackson County Line" released independently in 2007.
"South." released independently in 2010.
tracks and samples from both available at www.jacksoncountyline.com

Photos

Bio

Mellow that will move you. Beautiful and stirring. The soul of Americana with folk fringes make this seven piece who they are. Kevin Jackson sings with this remarkable collection of musicians and friends. Guitars, cello, mandolin, horns, bass, and drums combine to bring powerful melodies to life and meaningful words to light... Jackson County Line.