Judd Warrick

Trials, tribulations, and triumphs mold us like clay. Slipping between the cracks of eloquent folk songcraft and dyed-in-the-wool Americana storytelling, you can practically hear the lessons learned, the wisdom earned, the pain endured, and the truth shared in the music of Judd Warrick. As his grizzled bellow rings out over stark instrumentation, he soldiers through the hard times and always holds on to hope. The singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist funnels a lifetime of experience into his independent full-length debut LP, Brokenland.

“Brokenland is my story,” he says. “I don’t think life ever goes exactly how you want it to. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. Life has been difficult, just like it is for most people. The older you get, the more hardships you live through. I think most folks can relate to that. Most people have their own story of hardships and that makes these songs relatable. But as difficult as it has been, with all of the lessons I have learned, I'm not sure I would  trade any of it for the world. I like the person I have become. Getting these songs out in the world has helped me find peace.  I still like to say my situation is broken, but it is hopeful.”

Judd admittedly grew up “in a really musical family.” His maternal grandfather performed as a trained opera singer, while his mother and sisters sang locally in a trio. At six-years-old, he naturally picked up the drums. Absorbing a passion for Led Zeppelin from his folks, he spent years behind the kit before handling guitar and vocals for a metal band in his early twenties. However, music took a backseat as life happened fast. Following his divorce, he devoted every moment to raising his daughters in between a busy “day job.” Taking advantage of rare pockets of free time, he performed around Main Street during the Sundance Film Festival and at various ski resorts (often with his little girls bundled up and along for the ride).

 After all of this intermittent gigging and creating, 2023 finally presented the perfect opportunity for him to actualize his lifelong dream.

“I wanted to wait until my daughters were old enough to pretty much take care of themselves,” he says. “I’m in a better place where I can focus.”

Though his personal taste runs the gamut from Tool and Deftones to Foo Fighters and Johnny Cash, he embraced singer-songwriters such as Amos Lee, Jason Isbell, and Glen Hansard during this creative season. Working out of June Audio, Judd not only sang, but played guitar and drums, while renowned engineer Scott Wiley [Imagine Dragons, The Killers] produced and  contributed bass.

Now, the single “Fascination Die” introduces the album. Softly strummed acoustic guitar brushes up against his delicate delivery through strains of organ. On the hook, he wonders, “How could I ever let this fascination die?”

“It always sounded like a good intro,” he observes. “It’s about the feeling you get in your gut when you’re fascinated with someone and falling in love. You’re just starting the journey with another person. Maybe there’s some doubt, so it also gets into the complexities of relationships. It’s not sad though.”

Meanwhile, slide guitar underlines a soulful vocal turn from Judd on “Into The Dawn” accented by an evocative guitar lead.

“It goes into trying to figure where you fit into somebody else’s life,” he goes on. “You’re putting off decisions until the next day and saying, ‘Let’s go for this, throw caution to the wind, see how it goes, and figuring out how things will end in the morning’.”

Then, there’s “Town of Dreams.” Vivid storytelling hinges on a simmering beat as he paints a picture of pursuing dreams against all odds.

“A friend of mine moved to Nashville,” he says. “It’s based on a lot of our conversations. She’s a farm girl, and she went to the city to write songs. The second she arrived, she was really homesick, and it struck a chord with me. So, the story is about her gaining confidence in herself and saying, ‘This was my damn dream. I’m here no matter what happens, and I’m not leaving’. She’s sort of my hero, and the tune is a shoutout to her.”

On “Meant To Be,” he sets a heart-wrenching scene without pretense, “I’m at a motel, outside Midway, I would’ve worn a stamp to mail myself away.”

“It’s a combination of being cheated on and getting revenge,” he elaborates. “You catch your significant other cheating on you and think, ‘How was I so dumb?’ In the end, she sees you with another person and she’s not happy,” laughs Judd.

“Of Angels” represents the emotional apex of the record as he recalls a love gone too soon. “It’s a really tearful song about losing an amazing girl to cancer,” he sighs. “The whole time you were with her she was floating on air, and she grew her wings to fly away.”

The finale “Carry On” crescendos towards a bright spot in the clouds where “you fight to make a relationship work and decide to keep going.”

Ultimately, Brokenland is a place to heal.

“I’m abnormally positive,” he smiles. “It’s been a lot of work and a slow journey to get to this album. I had such a damn good time though. I’m discovering who I am. I’m a musician. I’m still broken, but in a good, repaired state.”