Willie Jones - Something To Dance To (2023) [Hi-Res]

“Something To Dance To personifies me and what I’m really about, which is bringing electricity, positive vibes and celebrating,” said Jones. “Ever since I was a kid, I liked to get the energy up and change the vibration of a room. If we’re gonna show up, let’s show out and have some fun!”

On Something To Dance To, Shreveport’s finest explores emotional facets that he says “represent every part of me” but each carries a central theme of finding joy in life’s experiences. It’s a celebration of it all: the highs and lows, the loves and losses, the starts and ends, and the connective tissue of just being human. Lacing traditional country soundscapes of steel guitar, banjo, and harmonica with Jones’ signature Louisiana hip-hop gumbo, the resulting sonic heartbeat reflects a man whose upbringing molded him into an innovator who bridges the Block Party and the Barn Dance.

“The album dissects all of me: the turnt up Willie Jones, broken hearted, being a little irresponsible, bringing the party, or just realizing that all of this is a temporary moment in time and I’m growing and hopefully learning,” he observed.

Kicking off with intricate twangy plucking, “Something To Dance To” sets the tone as the project’s up-tempo title track. Written by Jones with Eric Arjes and Cary Barlowe, the song references everything from Motown to trap and Marley to Springsteen. Accented with the emotive whines of a steel guitar, it’s a joyful declaration of a special kind of unity, reminding us that music is what brings people together.