The wait is over.
Tommy Prine’s debut album This Far South is finally here, and it was well worth the wait. Prine released the first single, the album’s title track “This Far South” back in February, and with each of the three subsequent singles over the past few months, anticipation and excitement around the album has intensified. Highly revered by music critics and heavily endorsed by fellow musicians, Prine’s work is finally available wherever you stream your music.
Produced by Prine’s close friend, confidant, and frequent collaborator Ruston Kelly, who is an accomplished musician credited with a couple of co-writes on this record, and Nashville producer Gena Johnson, Prine had some impressive people behind the scenes helping make This Far South become a reality.
His 11 track debut weaves seamlessly through sonically diversifying songs that manage to fit together cohesively in the grand scheme of his redemptive story and coming of age revelations detailed in his lyrics. Devastated by his father’s April 2020 passing, as apparent in “By the Way,” and motivated by those in his corner, especially his wife Savannah, for whom the album’s last track “I Love You, Always” was written, Tommy Prine’s debut is an emotionally charged masterpiece that carries on the family’s legendary name with dignity yet provides an impressive cornerstone for Tommy to continue blazing his own trail musically.
While I could ramble on about how incredible This Far South is forever, I’ll step aside and let the music do the talking.
I highly recommend listening to this one all the way through, from start to finish for the full effect, but here is the full tracklist for reference, highlighted by a few of my favorite previously unreleased tunes from Tommy Prine’s incredible debut.
“Elohim”
“Crashing Again”
“This Far South”
“Reach the Sun”
“By the Way”
“Mirror and a Kitchen Sink”
“Boyhood”
“Some Things”
“Letter to My Brother”
“Cash Carter Hill”
“I Love You, Always”
With so much to offer, both sonically and lyrically, there is something for everyone on This Far South, and all together, it makes one of the most impressive debut albums in recent memory.
In case you aren’t familiar with Tommy Prine, or haven’t put two and two together, he is the youngest son of the late great John Prine, one of the greatest songwriters to ever put pen to paper. For the younger Prine, music never seemed like a viable option, as he opted instead to actively avoid his father’s shadow for years, and only write music sparingly on the side as an emotional outlet.
Thankfully for us music fans, the stars aligned, and with the encouragement of many in his life, Prine ultimately decided to pursue music, and I think it’s safe to say his father would be proud.
This Far South is the real deal, and if you want to feel something special, give it a spin.
