The carousel on the album cover of Kyle Davis‘s “Jericho” spins with a blurred intensity, much like the emotional whirlwind captured within its grooves.

This seventh studio effort from the Virginia-based singer-songwriter marks not just a reunion with the team behind his acclaimed 1999 Sony debut “Raising Heroes,” but a successful artistic rebirth following personal upheaval.

Davis plays these eleven songs with the experience of someone who has been through a lot and come out with stories worth telling.

His voice has both grit and beauty, and it carries the weight of experience while still being incredibly vulnerable. From the first notes, his confidence draws viewers in.

“The Last Line,” the first song on the album, sets the mood with its deep, soul-searching reflections wrapped in twanging rock ardour.

Davis’s voice is especially captivating, going from sombre lows to rising highs as he admits that life will have problems: “No one ever said this would be easy.”

It is this song that sets the album’s honest and approachable tone, which stays the same throughout.

“On a Ledge” comes next. It starts with piano-led reflection and builds to a catchy, rock-forward chorus. Davis skilfully shows the weight of hidden personal problems when he laments, “It was never quite like this before I lost you.”

The title track emerges as the album’s philosophical centre, examining what it means to rebuild after everything falls apart. “Not all of them fit together the same way anymore, but enough do,” Davis reflects on the fragments of self scattered by loss.

The arrangement is filled with beautiful brass and silent vocal harmonies that make the message of careful hope stand out.

“Sail Away” is a strong meditation on changelessness. It compares emotional trips to water, which is hard to understand but can take huge ships over long distances.

This metaphor really hits home when you hear Davis’s music, which is always changing and never feels stuck in a certain genre.

In “Jericho,” Davis shows a huge range, from the Peter Gabriel-like lyric energy of “Passengers” to the raw emotional honesty of “Now and Again,” which deals with the guilt of moving on after losing someone.

The second one conveys the comfortable idea that the people we love are still present in the gaps between our lives and memories, without being overly sentimental.

Don Dixon, a producer who has worked with R.E.M. and The Smithereens, creates a warm atmosphere that lets Davis’s lyrics shine.

Recorded primarily at Mitch Easter‘s iconic studio in Winston-Salem, with additional sessions at Davis’s home in Prince George, VA, and Richmond’s Elephant Ear Studio, the album benefits from an impressive line-up of musicians including Dixon himself (bass, keys, trombone, snare), Mike Durham (electric guitar), Peter Holsapple (piano, mandolin, B3), Rob Ladd (drums), Corey Wells (electric guitar), and Hayes Elverston (harp).

What makes “Jericho” particularly compelling is how Davis transforms deeply personal experiences into universal themes. After taking time away from music to raise his family, he returns with perspective that can only come from living beyond the spotlight.

His previous release, 2020’s “Make It Count,” earned critical praise but faced the unfortunate timing of a pandemic release. With “Jericho,” Davis deserves the wider audience his songcraft merits.

The album’s seamless rock and folk cohesion creates a rich sonic fabric that rewards repeated listening. Davis’s influences remain apparent—the evocative storytelling of Jackson Browne, the soulful introspection of Peter Gabriel, the timeless groove of Bill Withers—yet his voice remains distinctly his own, refined by time and experience.

Not only in its lyrics, “Jericho” is a song about being strong, but also in Davis’s job path. From his early success (a 4-star review in Rolling Stone and a cover story in Billboard Magazine) to his break and return, Davis shows that taking a break and coming back with fresh eyes is often necessary for artistic growth.

Each track builds upon the last, creating an emotional arc that feels both carefully crafted and authentically lived.

By the album’s conclusion, listeners have journeyed through grief, acceptance, and the tentative first steps toward rebuilding.

Davis doesn’t offer easy answers or tidy resolutions, but rather a companion for life’s inevitable challenges.

In breaking down his own walls, he creates space for listeners to examine theirs—and perhaps find the courage to begin again.