When singer-songwriter Trent Dabbs set out to make his 10th solo album in 12 years, he found himself drifting away from the earthy Americana he is known for in favor of a sound that was more pop-focused than anything he had done in the past. Maybe it was the choice to collaborate with Daniel Tashian of Nashville band The Silver Seas, but the resulting album The Optimist, which will be out July 22 on Ready Set Music, is a down-to-earth collection of delicate, shimmering pop songs.
Dabbs’ name may not be immediately recognizable, yet he has written songs with artists such as Ingrid Michaelson, Kacey Musgraves and Joy Williams, among others. The Optimist is a perfect example of why this Mississippian now residing in Nashville is such a desirable writing partner. One of the catchiest songs on the album is “Optimists”, which we are offering a special advance listen of today on Glide Magazine. Dabbs’ hushed vocals are reminiscent of Jose Gonzalez meets the power pop stylings of Tobias Jesso Jr. and a touch of Sufjan Stevens. As the title suggests, “Optimists” is a song about chasing that Nashville dream, as Dabbs sings “everyone here’s going nowhere fast” with tongue-in-cheek cynicism before following it up with “well it’s alright with just one kiss”. This is the perspective of an artist who has probably seen it all in Nashville, yet is hopeful about what lies behind every corner.
Listen to Trent Dabbs’ new song “Optimists”:
You can also check out “Optimists” and more music from Trent Dabbs on Spotify.
The Optimist is out July 22nd. For more info and to pre-order the album visit trentdabbs.com.
