As the independent country scene begins to grow stronger by the day, there are seemingly dozens of new voices that have been capturing the hearts and ears of listeners by the minute. One name that has consistently flown under the radar for years now is none other than Jesse Daniel.
Despite an output that includes underrated gems such as “Clayton Was a Cowboy,” “Old at Heart” and the incredibly thought-provoking “Gray,” Daniel hasn’t quite received the flowers he’s deserved over the past seven years since his debut album.
In preparation for his new record, Son of the San Lorenzo, today, he’s called upon none other than Charles Wesley Godwin for the brand new track, “Time Well Spent For A Man.”
Discussing “Time Well Spent For A Man,” Daniels said, “This song was written by Northern California songwriter Nick Foster. It is an ode to father time. To me, it’s also about focusing on the meaningful things in life. On our deathbed, we’ll remember raising our children, our spouse’s kiss, time spent doing what we loved, as opposed to how many hours we logged in the office. I loved the message of this song and felt compelled to record it.
Daniels later explained that he was inspired to call upon Godwin due to his long history of penning thoughtful songs about his loved ones, most notably on his major label debut, Family Ties: “Charles Wesley Godwin came to mind with the subject matter. He’s a family man and an incredible songwriter himself. His vocals really helped add to the depth of the whole thing.”
What results is an incredibly reflective track that ponders the concept of time and what matters most in life. Setting the stage by questioning whether time consists of the work we do in our day-to-day lives and the moments spent in our dreams, Daniels begins to realize that “time well spent for a man” truly comes from the small moments shared between loved ones that neither money nor status can ever buy.
Godwin’s vocals in the latter half feel like a match made in heaven for a song of this nature, bringing a sense of calamity to the track that pairs extremely well in tandem with Daniels’. It feels like a warm conversation about keeping life in perspective and cherishing the short time we have on earth, elevated tenfold by lush fiddle and steel guitar throughout.
Overall, “Time Well Spent For A Man” is an incredibly well-realized song that is expertly crafted from verse to verse. If there was any doubt that Daniels is not one of the most underrated artists in the genre right now, “Time Well Spent For A Man” lays them to rest.
Daniel’s fifth studio album, Son of the San Lorenzo, releases on June 6th and contains “Time Well Spent For A Man” as well as the pre-released single, “My Time Is Gonna Come.” The full tracklist is as follows:
- “Child Is Born”
- “Son Of The San Lorenzo”
- “He”
- “The Ballad of Love Creek”
- “One’s Too Many (And A Thousand Ain’t Enough)”
- “Jodi”
- “Mountain Home”
- “Time Well Spent For A Man (feat. Charles Wesley Godwin)”
- “Crankster”
- “My Time’s Gonna Come”
- “The End”
Listen here: