Hard to believe it’s been nearly ten years since Parker Millsap burst onto the Americana music scene with “Truck Stop Gospel” from his eponymous album released in 2014. The song jumped out with an energy and exuberance that immediately gained many new fans for the young singer-songwriter from Purcell, Oklahoma. Millsap has since moved his base of operations to Nashville and is set to release his sixth studio album, Wilderness Within You, May 12 on his Okrahoma label via Thirty Tigers. The ten tracks on the new release find Millsap exploring some new musical landscapes but still retaining enough of his signature sound, featuring minimal accompaniment to his wonderful finger-picked guitar with emotion-filled vocals, to satisfy long-time fans.

Listeners familiar with Parker’s past releases will discover several songs within their comfort zone including the title track, which finds Millsap with just an acoustic guitar and Gillian Welch on backing vocals. He says, “Like a lot of the record, we recorded it live with no headphones and we had it in just a few takes. We spent a lot of our time talking about wildflowers and trees. A dream come true. If this song has a point it’s this: You contain multitudes. Many thanks to Gillian Welch for singing with me.”

“Front Porchin’” is a tune that already feels familiar with his distinctive voice telling a tale of enjoying the simple life over a sparse musical accompaniment behind his guitar following an easy groove. “Magic” has a feeling of tranquility with a lush soundscape without a guitar to be heard but keeps his unique vocals at the forefront.

“Running on Time” continues that peaceful feeling. Millsap says the song “is as close as I’ve yet come to writing a song about EVERYTHING. The daily rising and falling of the sun. The monthly cycles of the moon. The shifting of the seasons. The expansion and contraction of the universe. I tried to fit as much of it in there as I could, and also express my gratitude for being able to witness and comprehend some of these processes. It’s a reminder that there is wonder to experience.”

Producer Ryan McFadden pushes Millsap out of his established sound with other tunes that explore the natural evolution of a maturing artist. Songs like “Half a World Away” and “So Far Apart” feature electronic instrumentation and lyrics that explore the problems of an increasingly isolated society. Parker describes “So Far Apart” as “...a song about separation. Separation from each other physically, emotionally, spiritually. Separation from ourselves, from the present moment, from our physical planet and our food systems, separation because of technology or politics or struggles with mental health…you know, the modern condition.”

“Keeping the Love Alive,” ”I’ll Be Around,” and “By and By” continue the easygoing attitude that prevails over much of the album but it's “What You’ve Shown Me” that showcases what we’ve come to know as the classic Parker Millsap sound. Fans who’ve been along since the early days of his career will rejoice with this tune he describes as “a love letter…addressed to everyone in my life. It is addressed to the Spirit of the Earth Itself. It’s addressed to you, for being and sharing in this wild ride with me, whether we know each other or not (we do).”

Wilderness Within You shows Parker Millsap continuing to grow as both an artist and a person with increased sensibilities about the world around him and his place in it. It’s exciting to hear the experiments in sound as he pushes the boundaries of his music while retaining the roots of what made it beloved to so many.

Find out more about Parker at the links below: