Joshua Hedley - “Mr. Jukebox”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 7

Pairs Well With…Sam Outlaw, Luke Bell, Paul Cauthen

Classic country revivalist Joshua Hedley’s meticulous debut Mr. Jukebox takes traditional country and pop tones and rediscovers them for a new time. Eschewing modern sounds fully, Mr. Jukebox sounds like it is literally a sixty-year-old record discovered in a used-vinyl bin. Sweet love songs and sorrowful ballads criss-cross in Hedley’s music, focusing on the heart that permeates the best country songwriting. It’s a pretty, nostalgic listen with a “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude, one from an artist exciting in his studied approach rather than subverting throwback expectations. It’s been four years since Mr. Jukebox’s release, so expect his SXSW set to feature new songs that sound like old songs given Hedley’s reverential approach. (Kevin McStravick)