Maxwell James is a singer-songwriter who was born, raised and currently creates music in Nashville, Tennesee. His sound is a stealthy combination of alt, indie rock, blues and American roots.
His new self-titled EP is an exemplary of his genre-bending altitudes. Recorded at Farmland Studios, the self-titled EP incorporated the help of Scotty Murray on lap steel guitar, a member of Anderson Easts, a collective who lives in the house which was converted into a recording studio.
The EP opens up with “Roll Down Your Window Slowly,” which starts out with the sounds of the drums and percussions as the guitars do some rummaging sounds. Filled with a big bluesy vibe, James’ vocals are extremely electric giving off a high energy feel. The great rock ‘n’ roll vibe gives off a great dynamic cadence. The track has a grand soulful vibe and a great rollicking sound with epic guitar riffs sounding off on this track.
“Feed My Evolution” is paved with some heavy rhythms on the bassline as the percussions carry on to give off a wave of energy. The striking anthem contains some nit and gritty blues and is a great blend of indie rock, blues, and Americana. The cadence of the organ diversifies the sound, giving a charged bluesy appeal.
“The More You Say, The Less I Know” showcases some deft finger picking on the guitar sounding off towards the beginning of the song. The track picks up farther on, belying a more catchy and upbeat riff. This is a great country-bent song, filled with a busy bluesy vibe.
“Blatantly” starts off with the acoustic sounds of the acoustic guitar that solely accompanies James’ vocal harmonies. The dynamic strumming of the guitar sounds gives off a highly dynamic cadence. This track is a departure from the other tracks, giving off a more organic approach to the instrumentation and vocals. With a more stripped-down and personalized approach, the sound that is produced gives off a soothing and placating quality.
On “When It’s Real,” the EP slows down in this slow-burning number. The melancholy and somber cadences that come across produce a great indie-rock and alt sound. The gloomy cadence adds to the sweeping quality of the ballad. The sounds of the keys are melody-driven and overall there is a great flow to this song.
With great musical prowess, James uncovers the Americana spirit with these celebratory tracks that reach right into the American heartland and drives the dynamic of country-bent rock ‘n’ roll and paves it with his gift for blues right into the soul-factoring mechanism that touches people’s minds and hearts. It’s with James untamable spirit that we see people being moved by this riveting music, not just through dance or sheer motion, but also through emotion.
Highly crafted and authentic, this unique music will draw more listeners his way.
James’ Americana and blues-drenched sound is something of substance that will really feed the soul without the over-top strappings found in popular music today.
Unmatched and simply a fine artist, Maxwell James ‘Self-titled’ EP is an excellent representation of a singer-songwriter who has found his rhythms, musically speaking, and is harnessing his full potential doing what he loves.