They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. If that’s the case, then Jaime Wyatt is damn near invincible these days. Jaime made her mark in the music world back in 2017 with her debut album, Felony Blues. Never one to shy away from the truth, Jaime has always been candid about her struggles with addiction and how she wound up in the L.A. County jail doing time. Much like her first album, Jaime’s personal stories, struggles and subsequent growth have fueled the songs for her most recent album, Neon Cross. This time around, Jaime talks about conquering her old demons and coming clean once again, her divorce, coming out as gay to friends, family and fans, while simultaneously accepting her truth and learning to love herself. It’s been another wild ride for Jaime, but all this has proven to provide a framework for a powerful album made up of songs that will make fans cry, laugh, sing along and fall in love with Jaime for the first (or maybe even second time). Neon Cross was produced by Shooter Jennings, who Jaime has previously toured with, and features the queen of outlaw, Jessi Colter, on the song “Just Like a Woman.” Also appearing on the album on guitar is the late Neal Casal.

The album starts out with “Sweet Mess,” a stripped-down track with a ballad feel, featuring a piano playing throughout and Jaime’s distinctive, smoky twang pleading to “Leave Me Lonely." Many of the songs in Jaime’s catalog are upbeat with a faster tempo, so the fact the album begins with such a slow, thoughtful, heartbreaking, and unexpected slow track was a pleasant surprise for me. In fact, her cover of “Misery and Gin” on Felony Blues left me feeling much the same way. “Sweet Mess” is a heartfelt song about the crumbling of a relationship and one that I predict will become one of Jaime’s most well-known. 

Neon Cross is an album full of great tracks and it’s hard to even pick a favorite, but “Hurt So Bad,” featuring Shooter Jennings is one of the best. It was an early single release, but it still hasn’t lost its luster, even after the numerous times I’ve listened to it. Jaime’s voice on this song is particularly pleasing from the first line to the last and the steel guitar licks add the exact flavor a track like this deserves.

"When I was born, they should've warned me/ And I would've turned my ass around/ Picked it up and hit the country, never even make a sound" 

How can you not love a song that starts out with a line like that? Neon Cross is full of lyrical gems, some more obvious than others and it's like finding a hidden Easter Egg upon each subsequent listen. One of the best comes from the track “Make Something Out of Me.” 

“I was raised on heartache, so I like to suffer slow.”

Find me a person who can’t identify with those lyrics and I’ll tell you they haven’t lived yet. 

The remaining songs on the album are a vibrant mix of old school sound each executed with Jaime’s unique spin, like the pedal steel heavy track, “LIVIN,” and “Rattlesnake Girl,” a nod to her recent coming out, paired with upbeat instrumentals. You’ll want to listen again and again to “Just Like a Woman.” The song is already strong on its own with the wailing of the pedal steel accompanying Jaime’s voice, but the addition of Jessi Colter on the track seals it’s place as one of the best on the album. 

I’ve heard some great albums this year and they’re all amazing in various ways and for different reasons, but Neon Cross from Jaime Wyatt is by far, one of the most honest albums I’ve heard this year. Honest in the fact that the songwriting comes from a place of being down and hating yourself for a number of reasons, but through owning your actions, embracing who you are and releasing it out into the world for others to experience, you’ve put out something personal, gritty and beautiful. Music heals and it’s my hope that was the case for Jaime in making this album. Neon Cross has not only topped Jaime’s first album, Felony Blues, but in my opinion, it’s topped many of the albums released this year. If you somehow haven’t heard this album, buy it here: https://store.newwestrecords.com/collections/jaime-wyatt-neon-cross

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