Jay Buchanan has stepped further into his own creative orbit with the release of True Black, the second song revealed from his forthcoming debut solo album Weapons Of Beauty, due on February 6, 2026. Best known as the voice and primary lyricist of Grammy nominated rock band Rival Sons, Buchanan’s solo work finds him exploring a more intimate, spiritually charged sound that draws deeply on American roots music and personal reflection.
True Black arrives as a striking counterpoint to the album’s first release Caroline, broadening the emotional and sonic scope of the record. Built around gospel traditions and Southern gothic imagery, the song places Buchanan’s weathered, expressive vocal front and centre. From its opening moments, the track establishes a sense of ritual and confession, with piano and rhythm elements evoking the atmosphere of a revival meeting rather than a conventional rock recording.
Lyrically, Buchanan confronts questions of identity, accountability and belonging. Lines reflecting on walking alongside both the righteous and the wicked underline the song’s central tension, an ongoing reckoning with personal history and moral ambiguity.
Rather than offering resolution, True Black sits in that uncertainty, presenting vulnerability as a source of strength. Buchanan has described the track as a deliberate contrast to Caroline, framing it as a song designed to provoke movement and release.
Weapons Of Beauty represents a significant moment in Buchanan’s career. While he has spent nearly two decades fronting Rival Sons, the album marks a return to what he describes as his storyteller roots. His voice remains the defining instrument, powerful and earthen, shaped by a life spent between the High Desert of California and the mountain town of Wrightwood. That sense of place permeates the record, grounding its songs in lived experience rather than abstraction.
The album was produced by longtime collaborator Dave Cobb, a multi Grammy Award winning producer whose work has shaped modern Americana and roots based rock. Written during an extended period of isolation in an underground bunker in the Mojave Desert, Weapons Of Beauty emerged from months of reflection and experimentation. The result is a ten song collection that prioritises raw performance and emotional clarity over studio gloss.
Recording took place at Cobb’s studio in Savannah, Georgia, with a tightly assembled group of Nashville musicians. The lineup includes Chris Powell on drums, Leroy Powell on pedal steel guitar, Brian Allen on bass, J.D. Simo on guitar and Philip Towns on keys. Together, they create a sound that feels organic and unforced, allowing Buchanan’s storytelling to unfold naturally.
Visual and narrative elements also play a central role in the album’s presentation. The cover artwork was created by acclaimed American realist painter Jeremy Lipking, whose depiction of the American landscape mirrors the record’s themes of beauty, fragility and endurance. Film maker Scott Cooper, who previously directed Buchanan in the Springsteen biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere, sequenced the album to create a cohesive arc that unfolds like a cinematic journey.
Buchanan’s career to date provides important context for the significance of Weapons Of Beauty. Since joining Rival Sons in 2008, he has released a series of acclaimed albums including Pressure & Time, Great Western Valkyrie and Feral Roots, the latter earning two Grammy nominations. Beyond Rival Sons, his collaborations span a wide range of artists, from Barry Gibb and Jason Isbell to The Blind Boys Of Alabama and Kaleo. Weapons Of Beauty marks his tenth recording with Dave Cobb, underscoring the depth of their creative partnership.
In recent years, Buchanan has also expanded into film, appearing in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere as the frontman of the Stone Pony house band and contributing vocals to three songs on the soundtrack. These experiences have further shaped his approach to narrative and performance, elements that are deeply embedded in his solo debut.
With True Black and Weapons Of Beauty, Jay Buchanan offers more than a side project. The album stands as a personal statement, shaped by faith in craft, dedication to song and a willingness to expose emotional truths. It is a work that positions Buchanan not only as a commanding frontman, but as a singular storyteller in his own right.
Weapons Of Beauty Tracklisting
Caroline
High And Lonesome
True Black
Tumbleweeds
Shower Of Roses
Deep Swimming
Sway
The Great Divide
Dance Me To The End Of Love
Weapons Of Beauty
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