Years is the twenty-second studio album by American country music artist John Anderson. The album was released on April 10, 2020, via Easy Eye Sound. It is Anderson's first album to be co-produced by Dan Auerbach and David R. Ferguson.[1] The album marked Anderson's return to the studio after a five-year hiatus following 2015's Goldmine.
Recorded during a period of severe health issues, including a near-total loss of hearing, Years became a powerful and personal work for Anderson—a reflection on mortality, survival, and artistic renewal.
Background and recording
In 2017, Anderson experienced a serious, unspecified medical crisis that led to canceled performances and months of uncertainty.[2] At one point, he lost nearly all of his hearing for six or seven months and feared he might never sing or play music again.[3] Anderson's near-fatal medical ordeal began with a surgery that left him fighting for his life on three separate occasions while on the operating table.[4] He later described the experience as life-altering, with newfound appreciation for family, faith, and music: "The biggest part is knowing that I might die here any minute...but I know that the good Lord already came down and touched me."[2]
The path back began when Jeremy Tepper, program director of SiriusXM's Outlaw Country, connected Anderson with Dan Auerbach, who invited him to his Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville, Tennessee.[3] Though Anderson was only vaguely familiar with Auerbach's work, the two quickly formed a bond over their love of songwriting and traditional country music.[3] Their first writing session produced the deeply introspective title track, "Years," which became the cornerstone of the album.[3]
Anderson entered the studio with caution, unsure if his hearing had recovered enough to perform: "There were still some pretty wild noises in my head...I didn't know how much sonically I could really absorb."[3] But once the sessions began, Auerbach described the process as "pure magic," praising Anderson's timeless vocal tone and studio presence.[2]
The album was recorded at Easy Eye Sound studio in Nashville, with a small team of seasoned musicians and songwriters including Paul Overstreet, Dee White, and Joseph Allen, whom Anderson had known since his early Nashville days.[2][3][4] Anderson described the sessions as a "healing experience," adding, "The more I did, it seemed like the better I got.[3] Auerbach emphasized Anderson's vocal strength and commitment in the studio: "John will sing it as many times as you want. He wants it to be great...but it's almost right there, right from the first lick.[2] The production relied heavily on vintage instrumentation, retro textures, and minimal studio effects—a perfect fit for Anderson's baritone and the album's introspective themes.[5]
Themes
Years contains ten new tracks, including the emotionally resonant "Years," the haunting "I'm Still Hangin' On," and the Blake Shelton duet "Tuesday I'll Be Gone."[2][3] The songs address aging, mortality, faith, and resilience with clarity and grace. "Don't look back in sorrow / Just hope you see tomorrow," Anderson sings in the title track, setting the tone for an album that meditates on life's fragility without succumbing to despair.[2]
Other tracks like "Celebrate" echo the influence of Jimmy Webb's melodic sensitivity, while songs like "Wild and Free" and "Tuesday I'll Be Gone" reconnect with Anderson's rambler persona and legacy as a rough-edged storyteller.[3][5] "All We're Really Looking For" and "You're Nearly Nothing" reflect themes of healing through love and family, with Anderson crediting his wife Jamie, who stood by him throughout his health scare, as a source of strength.[2]
Although more somber and reflective than previous records, Years retains a raw authenticity that aligns with Anderson's legacy, mixing country roots with Americana-infused arrangements. Critics have likened its stripped-down emotional weight to Tanya Tucker's "Bring My Flowers Now", another acclaimed late-career comeback.[5]
Years was met with critical acclaim upon release, praised for its honesty, emotional depth, and Anderson's rejuvenated vocal performance.[4] Many critics viewed it as a comeback that placed the country veteran in the same breath as peers like Glen Campbell and David Bowie, delivered their most vulnerable and human work in the face of personal challenges.[2][5]
While some critics noted the album's heavy thematic focus on mortality could feel one-dimensional at times, most acknowledged the raw sincerity and artistry throughout. As Rolling Stone noted, Years was "the type of record that should cast his entire discography in a new light...an inspired offering that shows a forgotten legend pulling off a new trick just as effectively as his old ones."[5]
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