Jason Eady's live performance of his standout track, "No Genie in This Bottle," exemplifies just what's so special about the singer.
Videos by Wide Open Country
In his typical understated manner, Eady delivers a poignant and pointed tale of wistful regret. Surrounded by his sturdy stable of musicians, the four-piece delivers an intimate performance at Austin's Cedar Creek Recording studio.
Complemented by standup bass, fiddle and light percussion, Eady's easy-going voice captures the song's quiet desperation beautifully. "If I had three wishes, my first would be for a second chance," Eady sings. "To do all those little things I didn't do."
But the listener soon realizes the bottle he's going to isn't magical at all. "There ain't no genie in this bottle," he sings. "And I've been looking with every pour. As I get closer to the bottom, I find it just as empty as the one before."
"For me, this song came to life once we realized that the character was willing to trade his final two wishes if he could get his first one," Eady tells Wide Open Country. "That showed the desperation that he was going through and also the guilt that he was trying to escape from through his drinking."
One of the coolest aspects beyond the quality of songwriting? The quality of recording in the video. If you turn the video off and then just listen, you'd swear the performance came straight from the CD.
Eady's new album, the aptly titled Jason Eady, was released on April 21. The 10-song record presents some of his finest writing, including standout tracks "Why I Left Atlanta" and "40 Years."
You can currently catch Eady on select dates across the country.
