PATIO: JM Stevens – “Nowhere to Land” Tour

JM STEVENS

Hailing from Austin, Texas by way of West Point, Mississippi, critically acclaimed Americana and roots-rock/pop singer, songwriter, and producer, JM Stevens returns three years after his well-received solo debut, Invisible Lines. Releasing in April 2024, the 10-song Nowhere to Land is an overall mellower, more vulnerable record than its predecessor, though still speckled with some up-tempo rockers. It’s a thoughtful album further set apart by Stevens’ nuanced songcraft, intimate vocals, and organic production.

DittyTV praised Stevens as, “In that sweet spot of pop-rock represented by guys like Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, John Cafferty, Tom Petty, [and] Don Henley,” while The Big Takeover noted how his “Supremely tasteful arrangements keep excess far at bay.”

From contemplative, optimistic opener “Dry Creek” and the more jaunty but no less questioning title track, it’s a record that preserves the raw emotions of Stevens’ songcraft through admirably restrained production. “I wanted to keep it real open,” he said. “And it sometimes sounds bigger that way, because there’s more space to sink into, more room to breathe.” 

Pangs of love, loss and loneliness punctuate Nowhere to Land’s bouts of doubt, jealousy, and recurring hope. Songs search for that old spark as lovers grow apart but often, tempered by empathy, resolve into acceptance and letting go. “After the Storm” came to Stevens almost fully formed while out running in the wake of Texas’ infamous 2021 ice storm, while fellow standout “Cherry Sunburst” takes doing whatever it took to acquire a coveted guitar as a metaphor for losing our senses in all manner of other situations. 

Catch Stevens on tour in 2024 supporting Nowhere to Land.

“Recalls records from the Jayhawks, Drive-By Truckers, and Uncle Tupelo, blending acoustic, electric, and pedal steel guitars around smooth, upper tenor vocals.” – Brian Standefer, Texas Monthly

“The majority of these songs sound as if they’ve been lingering in the ethos forever, uncannily familiar yet edgy enough to catch immediate attention and resonate well beyond.” – Lee Zimmerman, Goldmine