Wedged between Texas and Tucson, Drew Cooper writes working man’s Americana. Instantly identifiable by his throaty, soulful vocals, Cooper’s latest continues to ride between contemporary country and rock influences. “This Life” is the title track from his forthcoming double album, with its first part due for release on 15 April. Set to the beat of a march-along percussion, Cooper tenderly handles a cut that he says reflects his own coming up. He soars along its bridge, telling a tale of self-accountability.
Cooper tells PopMatters, “‘This Life’ is a real-life assessment of how I feel about myself. Understanding and embracing failure as it comes and learning from it, learning that you can’t please everyone, but more importantly, learning how important it is to do right by you. This is my song about coming to terms with all of those feelings, failures, and success—realizing that I couldn’t be me without them.”
Cooper reflects on his time spent in the Texas Red Dirt scene. “Those Texas guys—those are real stories they are telling. Mainstream music writes to the masses. Those guys just write their lives. It’s all about the song and the camaraderie—a kind of potluck mentality. It’s not what you take from the table; it’s what you bring.”
This Life was produced by John Lousteau (Foo Fighters, Taylor Hawkins & the Coattail Riders) at Los Angeles’ Studio 606. It features a variety of musicians, including Cooper, bassists John June and Evan Myaskovsky, drummers Matt Ryman and Lousteau himself, and more.
