Musician Chris J Norwood threw off the shackles of contemplative, confessional songwriting with his third studio album, last year’s The Knockdown Dragout.
“I got tired of that kind of sad, singer-songwriter type of record,” the Dallas-based Norwood told me last year. “I just got tired of writing what I call ‘sad bastard’ songs. Like, I’m happily married. I’ve got two beautiful kids. I was wanting to write songs about the experience that I was in currently.”
It was hard to argue Norwood didn’t accomplish precisely such a shift with the funky, effervescent album. Now, a year later, he’s letting listeners hear the raw beginnings of the project with the release of a new EP, The Knockdown Dragout (The Exhibition), which drops March 28.
KXT is pleased to exclusively premiere the lead single from the EP, a remix of “Dancing in the Kitchen,” which features scorching vocals from Quentin Moore. You can hear it below.
The six-track collection mixes demos, reconfigured tracks and even a live tune, “The Cheap Seats,” recorded almost exactly two years ago at the very same venue which Norwood and his band will headline on March 30: Sundown at Granada.
“I’ve always loved it when artists put out their demos,” Norwood said via email. “It’s like getting a peek underneath the hood. You get to see a bit of the process and where maybe the artist’s head was at when they were writing the song. On most demos, I like to flesh out the whole rhythm section, including bass and programmed drums. It’s fun to be able to listen back to how the rest of the band came into the studio and made the songs their own.”
Beyond the March 30 release party for the EP, Norwood teases another forthcoming remix in the months ahead, as well as a live album recorded at last year’s Kessler Theater gig celebrating the release of The Knockdown Dragout, along with planned gigs in Austin and Dallas later in 2025: “Towards the end of the year, we should start working on recording our sophomore album,” Norwood said.
Chris J Norwood & the Knockdown Dragout at Sundown at Granada, Dallas. 8 p.m. March 30. Tickets are $12.
Preston Jones is a North Texas freelance writer and regular contributor to KXT. Email him at preston@kxt.org or find him on Bluesky (@prestonjones.bsky.social).Our work is made possible by our generous, music-loving members. If you like how we lift up local music, consider becoming a KXT sustaining member right here.
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