Koe Wetzel definitely has a persona that is bigger than life. As he nears the release of his forthcoming fifth studio album, 9 Lives, set for a July 19th release, he shared a little about himself. “I want fans to know that there’s a different side of me, not just the sex, drugs and rock & roll Koe that they may have heard about online.” With the release of the emotional ballad “Sweet Dreams,” Wetzel demonstrates just that.
Written by Wetzel with Amy Allen, Josh Serrato, Sam Harris and producer Gabe Simon, “Sweet Dreams” brings to light a different side of Wetzel, who was praised by Billboard for “music that’s unvarnished and unfiltered” with a chorus that reveals a raw and emotional depth:
It’s hard to have sweet dreams when I’m such a nightmare
I don’t wanna talk about it, rather not go there
When I find a good thing, I burn it down slow
Only see your face now when my eyes are closed
“I had an R&B type song in mind, like something off Usher’s Confessions album, with a badass drumbeat and a really cool melody. I had written in my notes a few weeks earlier: ‘Sweet Dreams,’” Wetzel says of writing and recording the moody track. “When we got to the Sonic Ranch in El Paso, we tried it. We stepped back to look at the song and got really excited about the way it came out.”
“Sweet Dreams” joins lead single “Damn Near Normal” and title track “9 Lives (Black Cat)” in offering an early preview of the album. Wetzel offered fans a further preview of the album’s multi-faceted narrative with a special trailer introducing nine unique Koe Wetzels as he showcased his comedic acting skills.
The Texas-born live phenom also plans to take his new music global this year with his recently announced Damn Near Normal World Tour. Additionally, Wetzel will perform prominent sets at several festivals, including Rock the Country, Country Thunder Wisconsin, Watershed, plus a show in Cleveland on August 21st at Jacobs Pavilion..
Listen to the new album HERE and pre-order / pre-save the album HERE.
9 Lives Track List:
(songwriters in parentheses)
- “Continued” Skit
- “9 Lives (Black Cat)” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon)
- “Casamigos” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Sam Harris, Ben Burgess, Gabe Simon)
- “Damn Near Normal” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon, Carrie Karpinen, Sam Harris)
- “Leigh” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon)
- “Twister” (Ropyr Wetzel, Steve Rusch, Ben Burgess, Josh Serrato)
- “High Road” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Gabe Simon, Carrie Karpinen)
- “Reconsider” (Charles John Brocco, Keith Quenton Gattis)
- “Hatchet” (Gabe Simon, Mike Coogan)
- “Sweet Dreams” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Josh Serrato, Gabe Simon, Sam Harris)
- “Runnin’ Low” (Ropyr Wetzel, Amy Allen, Sam Harris, Gabe Simon, Ben Burgess)
- “Bar Song” (Blake “Shy” Carter, Breyan Isaac, Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II, Dave Gibson)
- “Last Outlaw Alive” (Josh Serrato, Ben Burgess, Sam Harris)
