Canaan Smith - High Country Sound (2021)

Canaan Smith returns with his own “solidly country” (MusicRow) style, as he announces the release of his highly anticipated sophomore album, HIGH COUNTRY SOUND (Round Here Records), out April 2. Fans can preorderbeginning today (3/19).

“This whole album felt like a chance to make something that I truly wanted, which was extremely liberating – but also nerve-racking because I became the one responsible for the project,” Smith explains. “I really focused on having fun with it, and I didn’t feel pressure from anyone to do anything in particular – it all came from a place of my own personal love for these songs. Taking control and kind of steering the project in the way I wanted just made the outcome that much more special, and I couldn’t be prouder of it.”

Serving as the long-awaited follow-up to Smith’s critically acclaimed debut album, BRONCO (2015), and marking his first major release under Round Here Records, HIGH COUNTRY SOUND showcases a new and unexpected side of the Virginia native. Returning to his roots for backwoods inspiration, the 12-track project features everything from bluegrass-tinged, swampy singalongs like “Catch Me If You Can” featuring Brent Cobb to raw, lyrically driven ballads including “Like I Ain’t Missin’ You,” with each tune peeling back a different layer on what he refers to as “Canaan Country.”

Wanting to make an album that truly reflects who he is as an artist, Smith made sure to have his hands in all parts of the creation process – making his debut as sole producer on eight of the 12 tracks, while coproducing the rest of the set alongside Florida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley. As a writer, his credit is on every single song on the project.