Today's release, "Rag Doll," takes place at the Sloss Furnaces factory in Early James' hometown of Birmingham, AL, a national historic landmark. He is seen wandering around the labyrinth factory in black and white before finding his bandmates and flipping a switch to vivid color. "Rag Doll" gives listeners an audio peek into the way that Medium Raw lives up to its name. The album presents its brace of smart, playful, and often fiercely rocking original songs to intimate life with a stunningly vital sound that thrives on its lived-in real-world ambiance.
Beyond seven Early James originals — six previously unrecorded numbers and the fan favorite “Dig To China,” which dates back to his first EP — the new album includes songs co-written with Dan Auerbach and top Nashville songwriter Pat McLaughlin ("I Got This Problem"); Sheryl Crow’s frequent collaborator Jeff Trott ("Nothing Surprises Me Anymore"); roots singer-songwriter Langhorne Slim ("Go Down Swinging"); Irish songwriter Mick Flannery ("Upside Down Umbrella"); and James’ former Birmingham roommate Ryan Sobb ("Unspeakable Thing"). The writing continues to display the hallmarks of James’ distinctive, one-of-a-kind style: whip-smart wordplay, upended clichés, humor both light and dark, and a deep intelligence that frequently reflects a literary sensibility. Click here to stream "Rag Doll" and watch the music video.
