Austin, TX-based country rock band Reckless Kelly just announced two new full-length albums, American Girls and American Jackpot, to be released on May 22 via Thirty Tigers. Billboard shared the first single from the pair of albums, “I Only See You With My Eyes Closed” from American Girls, which is available now.

Listen to “I Only See You With My Eyes Closed” via YouTube:

“I wrote the beginnings of a second verse on a long van ride after being woken up by the church bells next door in Nuremberg, Germany and out of one of those lucid dreams where you don’t really know whether you’re awake or not,” says Willy Braun, who co-founded Reckless Kelly with his older brother Cody Braun and drummer Jay Nazz in 1996. “I wanted the song to have the feel of those same dreams when you drift from one thing to another, so Cody and Charlie Sexton played some spooky ambient stuff on top of Jeff Crosby’s main guitar track and we faded them all in and out to try to get that lucid half-dreaming half-awake effect. There’s a lot going on, but Jim Scott did an excellent job mixing the track to capture that dreamlike vibe.”

For nearly 25 years, Reckless Kelly has graced the musical landscape with a high-powered form of Americana, equally rooted in raw passion, refined musicianship, and gritty authenticity. With the dual release of two new albums—American Jackpot and American Girls—the Idaho-bred band presents a beautifully detailed portrait of their beloved country, turning their nuanced songwriting to its many glories and tragedies. While one batch of songs centers on slice-of-life storytelling and the other explores the complexities of human connection, the collective body of work unfolds with profound and often eye-opening attention to the subtleties of American life.

“I’ve always wanted to write an America-themed record, but not in some super-political or ‘rah rah rah’ sort of way,” says Willy Braun. “I wanted to tell stories of everyday life, and the kinds of things that nearly everybody experiences growing up in this country.”

For American Jackpot and American Girls, the band called upon friends and fellow musicians Bukka Allen, Jeff Crosby, Charlie Sexton, Gary Clark Jr., Rosie Flores, Shawn Sahm, Muzzie Braun, Suzy Bogguss, Wade Bowen and many more to join their recording sessions. Although Reckless Kelly initially intended to make just one album, the project took on a life of its own once they headed into the studio. “I wanted to produce this one by myself, just to try that out, and I made sure to book plenty of studio time to get it done right,” says Willy. “We ended up moving along really fast, so I pulled out a few more songs and figured we’d end up using them down the road. Before we knew it, we had enough material for two really good records.”

Track Listing:

American Girls

1. I Only See You With My Eyes Closed

2. American Girls

3. All Over Again (Break Up Blues)

4. Miss Marissa

5. Lonesome On My Own

6. Anyplace That’s Wild

7. Lost Inside The Groove

8. No Dancing In Bristol

9. Don’t Give Up On Love

10. My Home Is Where Your Heart Is

American Jackpot

1. North American Jackpot

2. Thinkin’ ‘Bout You All Night

3. Tom Was A Friend Of Mine

4. 42

5. Mona

6. Another New Year’s Day

7. Grandpa Was A Jack Of All Trades

8. Put On Your Brave Face Mary

9. Company Of Kings

10. Goodbye Colorado

Tour Dates:

1/30-2/1: Mile 0 Fest – Key West, FL

2/6: Liberty Hall – Tyler, TX

2/7: Hank’s Texas Grill – McKinney, TX

2/14: The Dirty South – Angleton, TX

2/15: Poodies Hilltop Roadhouse – Spicewood, TX

2/27: Duling Hall – Jackson, MS

2/28: Manship Theatre – Baton Rouge, LA

3/5: TempleLive – Fort Smith, AR

3/6: The Brendon McLarty Memorial Foundation Concert – Oklahoma City, OK

3/14: Cook’s Garage – Lubbock, TX

6/6: Washington County Fairgrounds – Cambridge, ID