Shinedown Pair Drop New Song + Neil Young Cover as Smith & Meyers

Shinedown pair Brent Smith and Zach Myers are continuing their musical pursuits outside the band, serving up their first original song since spawning the side pursuit and also providing a fresh take on a Neil Young classic.

Smith & Myers first started working outside of the group, issuing a 2014 Acoustic Sessions EP. Up until now, most of their work has consisted of delivering fan requested covers. But back in June, Brent Smith revealed that the pair were planning on expanding their horizons, intent on delivering an album with more instrumentation than just the acoustic-plus-vocal style they had mined in the past.

The first new offering from their forthcoming record is an original track titled "Not Mad Enough." Paris Visone shot a video for the song, which finds Smith and Myers with sparse backing as they sing and play guitar through the song. It is a somber track that picks up in intensity as the chorus arrives. Have a look at the clip below.

The pair also simultaneously release their fresh take on Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World," slowing it down a bit and turning it more into a piano-based cover. That track can also be heard below.

"We've spent a great deal of time and energy making sure this project is completely authentic. The main reason Smith & Myers exists has to do with the fans. A project that was born from multiple requests over the years has now evolved into its true identity. Make no mistake - it's about the songs, it's about the story, and above all it's about the message," says Smith.

"It was an odd time to make a record at the beginning of a global pandemic, but the state of the world is reflected in the art we made on this album. It was some of the most creative times I've ever had as a musician or a songwriter. For the covers, we felt that we should approach them as a duo as if we had written the song modern day. With the originals, Brent and I had never discussed some of this subject matter before and we dug so deep while also touching on a world that's rapidly changing around us the last eight months. We felt it would be disingenuous not to touch on social issues we ALL face as humans. We put a lot into this album and we truly hope you enjoy listening to it," adds Myers.

Volume 1 will include a mix of reimagined covers -- Post Malone's "Better Now," INXS' "Never Tear Us Apart," Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse's "Valerie" and the Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" -- along with five original tracks.

Fans can also pre-order or pre-save the pair's upcoming album, Volume 1, at this location. The album is due Oct. 9.

In related news, Smith & Myers will bring their powerful live duo show to a string of drive-in locations around Pennsylvania including Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park Parking Lot on Sept. 3, Scranton's Circle Drive-In on Sept.18, and Butler's Starlight Drive-In on Sept. 19. Ticketing info can be found here.

Smith & Myers, "Not Mad Enough"

Smith & Myers, "Rockin' in the Free World" (Neil Young Cover)

Smith & Myers, Volume 1 Artwork + Track Listing

Atlantic Records

1. Not Mad Enough
2. Rockin' in the Free World
3. The Weight of It All
4. Better Now
5. Panic
6. Never Tear Us Apart
7. Coast to Coast
8. Valerie
9. Since You Were Mine
10. Unchained Melody

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