VIA PRESS RELEASE | Acclaimed singer-songwriter Iris DeMent’s seminal third album, The Way I Should, returns in a newly remastered 30th anniversary edition, available June 5 on LP and CD from Yep Roc Records. The album is available for pre-order here.
Originally released in 1996, The Way I Should, DeMent’s third studio album, marked a bold artistic leap for DeMent, expanding her signature folk and country, blending sharp political commentary with deeply personal storytelling. Produced by Randy Scruggs, the album was recorded and mixed by Chuck Ainlay at Scruggs Sound Studio. The 30th anniversary reissue is remastered by Mike Westbrook of Material Mastering.
Anchored by DeMent’s unmistakable voice, who doesn’t shy away from weighty topics. Songs like “Wasteland of the Free” take direct aim at government corruption, while “Quality Time” gives voice to the disillusioned with searing honesty and soulful grit. The album’s further enriched by contributions from legendary collaborators including Delbert McClinton, Mark Knopfler, and Merle Haggard.
At the time of its release, All Music noted that the album “expands to tackle global topics…on the tough-talking The Way I Should,” while Entertainment Weekly described it as a “giant leap” highlighting its “broader musical framework also fleshes out her country-folk hybrid,” and the Chicago Tribune observed that “she still knows how to transform the everyday into a revelation of chilling beauty.”
