Nearly twenty years into their career, Seattle-based roots rock band Massy Ferguson knew exactly how to hit the right note, so it was time to evolve further. In their own words, Ethan Anderson, Adam Monda, Fred Slater and Dave Goedde have left the bar—their comfort zone—behind them, to explore a new direction and different sounds, a more arty, cinematic version of Americana, filled with vintage tones, analog production and lush instrumentation. On their seventh full-length album, fittingly titled You Can’t Tell Me I’m Not What I Used To Be, we hear that this is the right way to go.

Starting point of the eleven-track new LP was the beautiful song So Long, Carry On (Zan Fiskum sings on the recorded version), written backstage before a show—from there the rest followed quite quickly. Yet the record comes across as clever and controlled, well thought out, gracefully orchestrated, and refined, with those ragged-edged charismatic vocals that retains the heartland character. It’s organic and original, authentic and assorted, containing more highlights than I can embed below.

You Can’t Tell Me I’m Not What I Used To Be, very well produced by Damien Jurado, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, via North and Left Records. Featuring Ethan Anderson (vocals, bass), Adam Monda (guitars, vocals), Fred Slater (piano, keyboards) and Dave Goedde (drums, percussion), assisted by Micah Hulscher (piano, keyboards), Craig Curran (bass, electric guitar), Damien Jurado (additional percussion), Zan Fiskum (vocals), Alex Johnston (tubular bells, vibes) and Bradley Hawkins (cello).

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