Canaan Smith Howls at the Moon in ‘Mason Jars & Fireflies’

Canaan Smith howls at the moon in the new track “Mason Jars & Fireflies,” a rowdy backwoods jam with a white-lightning kick.

Featuring a boot-stomping sound and a propulsive, banjo-and-fiddle foundation, the track is an energetic throwback to the old-timey Appalachian country of historic stars like The Carter Family and more. But it’s also got the sharp edges of a modern hit and a shadowy, almost spooky quality to it, and that’s all thanks to Smith himself. Feeling like the sonic equivalent of passing a jar of moonshine between friends at a midnight bonfire, the singer co-wrote “Mason Jars & Fireflies” with Corey Crowder and Florida Georgia Line’s Brian Kelley — and for the first time in his career, produced the up-tempo track solo.

“More than anything, writing and producing this song just inspired me so much on a musical level,” Smith says. “As the sole producer on the track, I was able to really make it my own, and I had a blast doing so. There’s so much energy in this song, with the hillbilly stomp-clap beat, and I can’t get enough of it. To me, it just sounds like a memory – running wild as a kid in Virginia, any of those coming-of-age stories that you never forget. In my mind, this song is the soundtrack to those moments.”

“Them mason jars and fireflies / White diamonds stars up in that sky / In every wind howl in the night / Yeah, there’s a call, sweet summertime,” goes the moonlit chorus.

“Mason Jars & Fireflies” is just the latest in a string of rustic roots rockers from Canaan Smith, including his twin 2020 releases, “Cabin In the Woods” and “Colder Than You.” He released a peaceful, all-natural video for “Cabin In the Woods” in early 2021, and promises another “exciting” announcement in the coming weeks.