Justin Townes Earle, son of legendary country artist Steve Earle, is an established singer-songwriter in his own right. In fact, the Americana artist has seven full-length albums under his belt with an eighth on the way soon, The Saint Of Lost Causes. The title references Earle’s past struggles in juvenile delinquency — drugs, fights, getting clean. Today, Earle has shared the first video and single from the album, “Appalachian Nightmare.”

Visualized with hazy, heartland noir imagery, “Appalachian Nightmare” appears to blend fact and fiction. Earle narrates a litany of past young adult mistakes, but counts police killing among them. A press release describes the song as “about a drugstore cowboy turned cop killer praying for forgiveness.” Earle bookends the song with a couple blunt points of contrition: “And of all my regrets/ Two have troubled me most,” he sings. “Wish I could’ve been better to my mama/ And wish I’d never took a shot of dope.”

Earle had this to say of the song: “I want this song to say that if you are marginalized, you will find anyway you can to survive. Drug problems and criminal behavior are not a problem of color, creed or race.”

Watch Joshua Britt and Neilson Hubbard’s video for “Appalachian Nightmare” below.

TRACKLIST
01 “The Saint Of Lost Causes”
02 “Ain’t Got No Money”
03 “Mornings In Memphis”
04 “Don’t Drink The Water”
05 “Frightened By The Sound”
06 “Flint City Shake It”
07 “Over Alameda”
08 “Pacific Northwest Blues”
09 “Appalachian Nightmare”
10 “Say Baby”
11 “Ahi Esta Mi Niña”
12 “Talking To Myself”

The Saint Of Lost Causes is out 5/24 via New West Records. Pre-order it here.