Photography by Brittany Phillips
new record: jason scott band
BY KIANA MORIDI
​
At first listen, the distinct sound of Jason Scott is enough to create pause. Thick guitar riffs and melodic narratives come together for an unlikely marriage—one that’s uncommon but works in its own particular way. The band, which is Taylor Johnson (keys and producer),Ryan Magnani (bass), Gabriel Mor (guitar), Alberto Roubert (drums) and lead man/co-producer, Jason Scott, are no strangers to the Oklahoma music scene. From indie groups to pop bands, each member brings his own element. “We all come from different musical backgrounds,” says Scott. “Which is why our sound doesn’t cater to one specific genre.”
With inspiration from John Prine storytelling and Tom Petty melodies, Scott first took the stage as a solo act (and still does) for four years before creating his band, who released its first album, Living Rooms in 2018. The five-man band's upcoming record, Castle Rock takes its own form of storytelling. From a poor man’s ballad to a restless father losing sleep over world chaos, Castle Rock combines thoughtful wordplay with a genre-bending sound of rock n’ roll meets Americana.
“This record is more than a monument to us,” says Scott. “It’s not a country record, and it’s not an Americana record—it’s us.”
The Colorado town located just 30 minutes outside of Denver serves as the record’s inspiration for the lead man. “My family and I moved to Castle Rock, Colorado when I was about 12 years old after my mom remarried,” says Scott. “When I got to Colorado, I was just becoming a teenager, and I started watching TV and listening to music, which later influenced me. I think everyone has a Castle Rock in their life—a point where something changed for the better that eventually brings you to where you are. Regardless of the experience, everyone has that moment.”
Track by track, Scott takes the listener through the pages of his own story book. Sleepin’ Easy, a ballad about a father struggling with political and social uncertainty, is an ode to economic discomfort that resonates today and decades to come. “I think those issues will persist for a long time,” says Scott. “Maybe one day we’ll all realize a utopia—I just don’t think that’ll be anytime soon.”
For Scott, his personal life experiences often serve as his lyrical muse. “A lot of my lyrics come from being a husband and a parent,” says Scott. “A Little Good Music, for instance, is about how to keep everyday love alive. I think about how many damn loads of laundry my wife and I have done in ten years, and how many times I’ve hung Christmas lights up only to tear them back down again. There’s a lot of feeling in these songs, because most of them are about regular, everyday people. It’s timeless and will feel just the same today as it will 15 years from now.”
Looking forward, Scott plans to continue to do what he does best. “I have hundreds of lyrical bones just waiting to be created into songs,” he says. “We’re ready to get to work.”
​
Check out the new record Castle Rock on May 28th on Spotify, or visit his Instagram for show and music updates @jasonscottmusic