Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Listen: Eliza Hardy Jones - "Criminal"


After years of being a supporting fixture in the Philly music scene, classical pianist turned multi-instrumentalist Eliza Hardy Jones is finally going solo and it's about damn time. While she's played with Strand of Oaks, Nightlands, and even with Grace Potter, there hasn't been a band that drew out her innovative lyrical prowess like Buried Beds. And yet with "Criminal", the first single from her solo debut Because Become, Jones proves she has plenty to say all on her lonesome. "

Criminal" strives for and ultimately achieves a balance of Jones' former bands' styles and yet isn't just a distillation of her work elsewhere/the work of her peers. Rather, she's offering a peek into her own musical growth - Jones' gifts lie in simplicity both in her melodies and her sincere lyrical construction but she's not afraid to shake things up compositionally.

A straightforward piece of introspective pop whose parts spread outward instead of predictably in - there's brutal rock-tinged blasts of noise that keep everything from going down too easy and hint at the nuance of Eliza's seesawing lyrics. Instead of distracting however they enhance, engaging different parts of the aural palette to draw you underneath the surface of Jones' gorgeous vocals. "Criminal" is a wonderful introduction to Eliza Hardy Jones' solo endeavors; showing she's not just a talented pop songsmith but an artful arranger.  



Eliza Hardy Jones' debut record Because Become is out this Friday January 15th. You can pre-order the record now.

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