Grayson Capps’ debut solo album If You Knew My Mind turns ten this year. In light of the milestone, Royal Potato Family is honoring the now classic recording with a special 10th anniversary reissue edition to be released for Record Store Day.

Kicking off with the lazy rhythms of Get Back Up, it boasts one of our favourite album openings ever, “Yesterday was a very fine day indeed, I got a pint of beer, went outside and brushed my teeth”, the reissued set will feature three never-before-released bonus tracks, including a stunning version of the American roots standard Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning. It also features an essay written by Capps addressing the period in his life when he recorded the album, alongside previously unpublished photos.

The album recounts his time living in an abandoned house on the outskirts of New Orleans (Get Back Up), busking for change on Royal Street (Washboard Lisa) and the birth of his daughter (If You Knew My Mind), while many other tracks remain staples of his live repertoire to this day.

Grayson Capps’ impassioned songwriting draws direct inspiration from southern literary tradition, often writing about the South and the idiosyncrasies of its people, landscapes and tempos. His lyrics, imparted with a profound poetic wisdom, take form as steamy, front porch blues and road-wise Americana.

If you’ve never sampled the delights of the record, stream a couple of tracks below and add it to your mental “must-have” list…

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