Hunter Hayes builds his new song Wild Blue around a percussive groove, singing over subtle piano about how the 27-year-old songwriter is undergoing a personal sea change. Funny how you dont know you can fly until you finally catch the wind, he sings. You think you know the part you play until somebody goes and rewrites the script.
And then it all explodes, with Hayes delivering a soaring, cathartic guitar solo before the song returns to its subdued piano origin. The title track off Hayes just announced new album, its equal parts Ed Sheeran and John Mayer and points to a new self-aware direction for Hayes.
The Louisiana native performed on NBCs Today earlier this week and announced that the album, Wild Blue (Part 1), will be released on Friday, August 16th. Recorded throughout Hayes Nashville home, which he converted into a studio, the LP is his first in three years and features the musician playing all sorts of instruments, from guitar, piano, and banjo to bass, drums, and percussive programming.
Heres the Wild Blue (Part 1) track list:
1. Madness (Hunter Hayes, Sam Ellis, Sara Haze)
2. Wild Blue (Hunter Hayes, Troy Verges, Gordie Sampson)
3. Heartbreak (Hunter Hayes, Thomas Tawgs Salter, Gordie Sampson, Simon Wilcox)
4. One Good Reason (Hunter Hayes, Sam Ellis)
5. Dear God (Hunter Hayes, Andy Grammer, Dave Spencer)
6. Loving You (Hunter Hayes, Jordan Reynolds, Dave Barnes)
7. My Song Too (Hunter Hayes, Jordan Reynolds, Dave Barnes)
8. One Shot (Hunter Hayes)
9. Night and Day (Hunter Hayes, Derrick Southerland, Sam Ellis)
10. Still (Hunter Hayes, Troy Verges, Tommee Profitt)