When Indiana-born singer Jace Everett released his outstanding self-titled debut in 2005, the music world didn’t take much notice. The first single, “That’s the Kind of Love I’m In,” only reached No. 51 on the country singles chart—and the follow-up, “Bad Things,” didn’t chart at all. But last year, producer Alan Ball happened upon “Bad Things” on iTunes and decided it would make a perfect theme song for his new series, HBO’s blood-soaked vampire melodrama True Blood. And voilà! Four years after the song should have been a hit, it suddenly is one.
“Bad Things” is included as a bonus track on Jace’s new Red Revelations album, and its crackling rockabilly groove and air of ominous sensuality fit right in. Jace specializes in brooding songs that seem to make the air in the room a little more humid—Revelations is the kind of album that ought to come with a tumbler of whiskey. It’d be just the thing for raising a toast to Jace Everett, and to second chances.