Randall Bramblett Announces New Album ‘Paradise Breakdown’ & Shares Dr. John Inspired Single

Esteemed singer-songwriter Randall Bramblett will issue a new album, Paradise Breakdown, on September 27 via Strolling Bones Records. Bramblett also shared the lead single, “Throw Away My Cane,” inspired by a friend’s story involving the late Dr. John.

Paradise Breakdown is Bramblett’s first album in four years following 2020’s Pine Needle Fire. Splitting recording time between East Nashville and his adopted hometown of Athens, Georgia, Randall Bramblett tapped a team of crack players to record Paradise Breakdown including Tom Bukovac, Steve Mackey, Nick Johnson, Seth Hendershot, A.J. Adams, Tom Ryan and producer/drummer Gerry Hansen.

Press materials for Paradise Breakdown expanded on Bramblett and his new record:

For decades, Bramblett explored the deep corners and outer orbits of American roots music, creating a southern sound that’s every bit as eclectic as its maker. That sound reaches a new milestone with Paradise Breakdown, the thirteenth record from a musician hailed as “one of the South’s most lyrical and literate songwriters” by Rolling Stone. The album finds Bramblett taking stock of past and present, embracing all the contradictory elements — love and loss; joy and disappointment; nostalgia and mortality — of a career dedicated to creation.

Standout tracks on Paradise Breakdown include the funky love song “Fire Down in Our Souls” and “Down in the Wilderness.”

“That’s my kind of song,” Bramblett said of the latter, “deep and dark.” The song is characterized by haunting guitar, expansive chords and a restless beat before Randall and his upright piano take things in a psychedelic direction on the bridge.

Lead single “Throw My Cane Away” is a snappy, sax-filled old school R&B number. Randall offered a glimpse in-between the lines:

“Several years ago a friend told me a story about a chance meeting with Dr. John in New York City. The conversation they had was about the joy, freedom, and fragility of their recovery from drug addiction. I added the twist of Johnny being a ghost. Funny, sad, and Funky.”

Listen to “Throw My Cane Away,” premiered by Glide, below:

Paradise Breakdown Tracklist:

1. Fire Down In Our Souls
2. We Had It All The Time
3. Throw My Cane Away
4. Down In The Wilderness
5. The Circus
6. Come On
7. ‘Round And ‘Round The Sun
8. Somewhere In The Sky