Cody Jinks' new album marks a 'change': 'I'm trying to set that precedent'

Cody Jinks knows his songs and album themes, Change the Game, out tomorrow (March 22), could be seen as a slight departure from the gritty brand of country-rock his fans have come to expect. But the changes came out of life-changing necessity.

“I was reading something somebody wrote online the other day, like, 'This isn't the old illegal stuff we got to know Cody for. What is he doing;” Jinx says Advertising sign. “Well, this guy would have died. This guy looked in the mirror and said, “You need to slow down.” I had to go into therapy to start dealing with some things.”

The stunning 'Outlaws and Mustangs', the first release from the album, celebrates a free, creative spirit, while the title track is the Texas native's triumphant manifesto for fulfilling his independent vision: 'I'm the punk that says the I did it his way,” he sings. However, the song “Change the Game” also marks significant changes, both personally and professionally, including his rigorous journey into sobriety.

Jinks began his career as the frontman for thrash metal band Unchecked Aggression before beginning to release country-oriented projects in 2008, proving equally adept at hard rock and stoner country songs such as 'I Don't Trust My Memories'. Anymore', from the 2021 album Mercy. On Change the Game, Jinx leans into a more restrained, yet deeply confessional sound. Longtime Jinks bassist Joshua Thompson produced the album with Ryan Hewitt, known for his work with American Aquarium and Turnpike Troubadours, as well as Jinks' 2016 I am not the Devil.

The sparse acoustic details of 'Wasted' waking up on a stranger's couch in the same clothes from the night before, bloodshot eyes and staring at the bottom of a bottle. He wrote “Sober Thing” about his slow battle to kick a two-decade addiction to whiskey.

“It was hard to write some of these songs. It was hard to sing some of them in the studio,” says Jinks. “I pushed myself hard. I pushed the band hard. They knew how personal the record was to me because of the things I was going through in my life, with my family, my wife [Rebecca] and marriage. Every aspect of that feeling is captured.” He says the treatment gave him “a new appreciation for my wife and the beautiful children I have. I've always valued my wife very much, but God, man, has supported me for almost three decades and has seen my worst sides.''

Elsewhere on the record, “The Working Man” extols a relentless and ingrained work ethic, regardless of how time and technology may shift certain tasks. On the album-closing piano ballad 'What You Love', he argues that “a life played safe is a life not lived”.

He wrote the light-hearted “A Few More Ghosts” – in which he wishes apparitions were responsible for his nightly awakenings rather than his own inner demons – with Brad Martin, Jake Worthington and Adam Hood after Jinks discovered he had accidentally triple booked. written appointment.

“We all showed up and it was obvious I didn't know I'd booked all these guys on the same freaking day,” Jinks says with a laugh. “I thought to myself, 'This is either going to be a train wreck or a nice, happy accident. I've known Adam for years, but I hadn't met Jake and I just knew Brad. I just said, “If you're all as crazy as I am, you want to write something crazy,” and Adam just starts rattling off dark stuff. I couldn't stop singing it for two days after we wrote it.” Jinx commemorated the song by getting the title tattooed on his leg, along with an image of a Zippo lighter.

He teamed up with singer-songwriter and frequent tour partner Pearl Aday (daughter of the late singer Meat Loaf) on a new cover of Faith No More's “Take This Bottle.” Originally, they planned the song for a side project, but Thompson and Hewitt felt it belonged on the new album. “They were saying, 'This needs to be recorded. It is very good “. When we've played it live, I get chills every time he sings that second verse.”

Throughout his career, Jinks has proudly found success outside of the major label system: I'm not the Devil debuted at No. 4 on Advertising signCountry Albums chart. His song “Loud and Heavy” has been certified multi-platinum by the RIAA, while “Hippies & Cowboys” and “Must Be the Whiskey” have gone platinum.

After independently releasing his first six studio albums, Jinx linked up with Rounder for 2018 Lifers before starting his own label, Late August Records, in 2019. Change the Game marks his fourth studio album released through The Orchard, which drops in late August.

Jinx remained committed to his DIY ethic. He parted ways with longtime management company True Grit Management and now manages his career with a team that includes several late August employees and former True Grit executives.

“I just said to everybody, 'I promise you I'll work as hard as I can to make sure we keep going,' and I didn't lose anybody, thankfully,” Jinks says. In taking over the management duties, “I got a crash course, because there are things that artists know and then there are things that managers and label people know. I was on the road more than 200 days a year for many years, but now some of that time is spent on the phone or traveling to meetings. I had to stop being on the road so much, but I still wanted to work.”

Jinks hopes his DIY business model can help change the game for other artists and remind them that success doesn't necessarily require major label support.

“If you're good at it, people will start throwing paper in your face and then you're locked in. My former manager and I had a great relationship for a long time and we never signed anything,” he said. says. He advises artists to maintain their own releases and master recordings: “Those are the two most important things. You don't need record labels anymore and it's getting to the point where you might not need a manager… there are too many people in this business taking the artists' money.”

The WME-backed Jinx continues his steady touring schedule, combining his own headlining shows this year with support slots on Luke Combs' stadium tour.

“We've got a brand new setup, more lights,” says Jinks, “It's going to be a great year and we can't wait to get out there.”