Jackson Free Press

If Chasing Edom's debut full-length "High Cotton," tells us one thing, it's that the Brandon, Miss., natives know their strong suits and how to use them. Despite brief bouts of rougher terrain, "High Cotton" proves that waiting can be a great thing.

The recording process for "High Cotton" was a perfect storm of hardship and hard work, though you wouldn't know that from the album's general optimism.

In previous years, Chasing Edom recorded two EPs without success, shelving both outings. As the original band members finished their senior years at Northwest Rankin High School, they planned to embark on a reluctant third attempt at recording, until guitarist-vocalist Brennan White, 19, received a surprise graduation gift.

White's grandmother, Robby Poirier, gave him $5,000 worth of recording equipment, and suddenly "High Cotton" became a possibility. She knew that her grandson had been toying with recording techniques and that the band couldn't afford the typical studio route. Sadly, she passed away before White completed production of the album, but her support delivered the most faithful representation of Chasing Edom to date.

One positive observation of the album is that it doesn't betray its budget. While the band handed mastering duties to Nashville's Sage Audio, White, bassist-vocalist Aaron Thomas, 19, drummer Will Jacob, 19, guitarist Heath Walt, 18, and synth-percussionist Hunter Walt, 18, handled all mixing and engineering in-house. Naturally, this leaves room for a few teething troubles, with some flawed vocal choices on "I'll Be Your Sea" and "Open Space," but these are rare.

When the songwriting is at its best, "High Cotton" exhibits the group's most commendable qualities: strong choruses and strong southern influence. The two factors often go hand-in-hand, such as in "Shoot Fire in the Morning" and the bouncy, twang-tinged single "Build a House."

The group excels at writing singable songs that, while not overly familiar, invite comparisons to forebears John Mayer and the Dave Matthews Band. Like Chasing Edom, these artists have dabbled in the southern sound and benefit from a healthy dose of pop sensibility. Unfortunately, they also bring their own brand of musical baggage to the table, habits which Chasing Edom has adopted.

Eccentricities can be vital in building a band's persona, but these elements can be easily overused or used poorly. Chasing Edom incorporates Dave Matthews' rapid-fire lyrics, but that can be a turn-off for some listeners. Likewise, the rap segment of "To Be So Much" and the introductory shout in "Build a House" and "Woman Named Summer" will likely turn more listeners away than keep them.

This is where Chasing Edom most profits from its dual lead vocalists White and Thomas. The shifts keep "High Cotton" fresh and prevent one component from returning too frequently. Thomas' breathier delivery is best suited for singer-songwriter-style tracks such as "Matches" and "To Be So Much," and White's punchier pop vocals shine when applied to memorably melodic fare like "Figure It Out" and "Starkville."

With all of the pieces at play, "High Cotton" is a Jenga tower taken to its last potential move, one that could easily have toppled. The reason that major labels shell out major amounts of cash to experienced producers is that recording, in many ways, is more difficult than writing music. Sure, it makes sense that no one could envision Chasing Edom's music as well as it could, but actually making that vision a reality is another story. Like the album's cash-crop namesake, I expect Chasing Edom will get better with age.

Chasing Edom performs at the Ole Tavern on George Street (416 George St., 601-960-2700) at 10 p.m., Aug. 22. "High Cotton" is available now through all major digital retailers.