The wait is finally over.
Nicholas Jamerson’s highly anticipated record Peace Mountain is out everywhere. And man, this one is something special.
Originally announced back in November, Peace Mountain is Jamerson’s fifth solo record, and the follow up to his iconic 2020 project The Wild Frontier. The announcement of the album, which came in tandem with the release of the record’s title track and Jamerson’s collaboration with Charles Wesley Godwin, “Peace Mountain,” set off a blaze of anticipation amongst country music fans that has only strengthened in the months since.
And as the album’s release inched closer with each subsequent single, full of his clever lyricism and Eastern Kentucky melodies, Jamerson has only added gas to the fire.
The first sneak peak of the 17 track record, which includes a few song intros, came back in October 22 when Jamerson released “Lexington” as an ode to his home state of Kentucky. Between October and today’s release of the full album, Jamerson went on to drop five more singles, all of which provided just enough of a look into the album to build anticipation but left plenty of room for more to be desired.
And now that Peace Mountain is out in its entirety, I think it’s safe to say it was well worth the wait.
Inspired by Jamerson’s experiences living in Eastern Kentucky and on the road as a touring musician, Peace Mountain is an incredibly curated collection of Appalchian anthems, entertaining stories, and introspective ballads that weave seamlessly throughout the record with powerful lyricism and diverse instrumentation.
And if one thing is for certain, Peace Mountain sure will not bore you.
So without further ado, see below for the tracklist to Peace Mountain, and dive right into it with a few of my early favorites.
1. “Introduction”
2. “Bad Imagination”
3. “Billy Graham Parkway”
4. “Holler Child”
5. “Hang On”
6. “Lexington”
7. “Watching The Fire Burn”
8. “I Love Blue” ft. Magnolia Boulevard
9. “Wild Nights, Weird Mornings Intro”
10. “Wild Nights, Weird Mornings”
11. “Strangers” ft. Chelsea Nolan
12. “Mr. Buzzard”
13. “Wild One”
14. “This Ain’t Supposed To Happen In Our Town Intro”
15. “This Ain’t Supposed To Happen In Our Town”
Jamerson recounts a tragic June 2022 shooting that took place in his home county of Floyd County, KY and left three police officers and a K-9 dead.
16. “Joseph”
17. “Peace Mountain” ft. Charles Wesley Godwin
For anyone who may not be familiar with Jamerson’s prior work, the Prestonburg, KY native has long been an influential figure in the Appalachian music scene that has caught fire of late. Well known as half of the iconic duo Sundy Best, alongside Kristofer Lee Bentley, Jamerson’s work both solo and with Sundy Best has won over fans all across the country and inspired many of the Appalachian artists behind him to follow in his footsteps.
Proving to be one of the most prolific artists in the industry, Jamerson and Bentley released the first Sundy Best record in seven years in February, following a lengthy hiatus. Titled Feel Good Country, the record was a long-awaited comeback from a band that is crucial in the landscape of country music. Feel Good Country shared a track with Jamerson’s solo Peace Mountain, as he included a different version of “Bad Imagination” on each.
With the release of two albums in just over three months, and tons of tour dates and other work behind the scenes, Jamerson has been a busy man over the past year. But as a result, he has put some incredible music out into the world, and only bolstered his status as one of the most talented and underrated songwriters in country music.
So if you’re into good music, keep on listening to Peace Mountain, and check out Sundy Best’s Feel Good Country while you’re at it.
Nicholas Jamerson has truly outdone himself this year.
