Drifter [LP], Jovin Webb, Vinyl

Jovin Webb dazzled millions of viewers on American Idol with his bayou mystique, his humility, and his distinctive gravelly vocals. Now, the Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based artist steps forward with his debut album, Drifter, produced by multi-Grammy winner Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Susan Tedeschi, Kingfish). The 12-song collection is a vibrant mix of growling low-down blues, Jovin’s wailing harmonica, heartfelt soul ballads, and rowdy, Little Richards-style rock n’ roll. After hearing Jovin for the first time, R&B superstar Lionel Richie gushed: “This is what barbecue sauce sounds like.” Best-selling country music star Luke Bryan added: “I could sit and drink a lot of bourbon listening to that voice.” Drifter is the sound of a blues life searching for a gospel redemption. “It’s me trying to figure out religion, women, my career, and everything I’ve gone through,” Jovin says. The twelve tracks on Drifter evoke a blues classicism without ever feeling nostalgic or derivative.