RELEASED 15TH NOVEMBER 2019

Favourite track: Us in Major

Beautiful song-writing and attention to detail with the musical composition

The music of JNR WILLIAMS is new to me but the East London singer is said to have a “passion for voices” that tell a story and I’m all about that so I just had to give his 4-track EP Withers on the Vine a listen. The cover art shows a collage of pictures ranging from a face to some flowers to a necklace. From the expression of the face and then the other items shown, it looks like it’s about human relationships (perhaps love?) and how words and gestures define them.

The first track ‘Us in Major’ opens with some piano in the background with a repeated melody. The vocals on top are very soulful and then additional vocal layers come in as a hi-hat provides some pace. I love the RnB/old school Hip-Hop beat that comes in next with the chorus about how they “don’t know why they’re fighting” and how you “never know with love”. The composition makes for a chill sounding song on the whole and it’s veryyy catchy. I really like this track. The ending is has elements of Funk with the synth keys and instruments along with the vocal melody on repeat.

‘Don’t Give Up’ opens with some raw, honest storytelling asking someone not to give up on him. A gospel/RnB style vocal arrangement makes up the chorus. I love the plucked strings in the background under the choral stuff and the slow beat/bass line. ‘Another Page’ opens similarly with storytelling. It’s very poetic and beautiful on top of the warm piano in the background and slight audio fuzz. I love the singing in this and it’s melancholic but also raw. There is a little addition of jazz with some slow brass instrumentals that contributes to the old school feel of it all.

The final track ‘U 4 Ever’ is a very romantic song with an interesting chord arrangement and then a beat and piano that seems to stop and start constantly. It doesn’t flow like it should and that’s what’s intriguing. It almost demonstrates that his situation is constant but not without friction and interruptions on the way.

This EP has some nice raw vocal work with very chill background music so good to just listen to on your travels.