I love surprises. The good kind, of course. Not those Haunted House kind of things, but surprises that make me smile. I'M NOT THE DEVIL is one of those good ones. Cody Jinks is the perfect example of you "can't judge a book (or in this case, an artist) by its cover". Cody has all the appearance of 'outlaw country' to the core. Yet, when you hear his voice, the two just do not match. But, he parallels the two images in one of the tracks on the album - The Same. The title track, I'm Not the Devil comes in a close second. His rough exterior appears as an armor, protecting the vulnerability of his soul... vulnerability necessary to produce thought-provoking lyrics.
Some of his musical background comes through in his beautifully done tribute cover of Merle Haggard's The Way I Am. Every note, every tune peels back another layer of Cody Jinks - the man. Through the process we discover the importance of who each of us are and the minuscule part we play in this life. There are No Guarantees, you just have to Give All You Can, particularly when you have a Heavy Load to bear. One song I found the most heartwarming was Gaylor Creek Church where everyone knows each other and the preacher works the mill right alongside his parishioners. I found Vampires to be a very eloquent way of making a point.
While there's an outlaw edge present on this album, what you will hear is pure country to the core. With the opening strains of the first tune, you can feel the sawdust beneath your boots and your partner's hand in yours as you move around the dance floor. Find your soul in I'M NOT THE DEVIL.
Grab your copy at:
Here's a sample from Cody's YouTube Channel:
I've listened to this album over and over again, enjoying every textured note and outlaw lyric. For that, I'm tipping my hat:
You'll find Cody on various Social Media sites. Give him a shout-out:
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