A Way With Words (Ropeadope)
Anson Jones
Released June 2022
DownBeat Four-and-a-Half-Star Review
YouTube:
https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mo3UTcQoZokqd3PJ_CP-0Qyw0nYCkLApg
Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/album/7y5iLSdje7ZgLxZah8yMkP?si=ZMhXvTCGQwqy4tIrNCO3Fg
About:
Vocalist and songwriter Anson Jones was born and
raised in Manhattan, a setting that established her sense of calm and focus in
the midst of chaos. She was introduced by her parents to a wide variety of
musical styles, and eagerly took it all in. Heavily influenced by the presence
and storytelling of artists like David Bowie and Björk, Jones digs into their
sonic range and lyrical style. Her own vocal style is warm and relaxed, drawing
comparisons to Norah Jones, Esperanza Spaulding, and Amy Winehouse.
Studying voice and piano in her early years, Jones is the winner of 6 Downbeat
Magazine Student Music Awards during her high school years. Currently studying
a range of subjects – Cognitive Science, Computer Science, Architecture, Visual
Art, and Music – at Princeton University, her curiosity for the world around is
quite evident. Despite the wide variety of options in front of her, Anson Jones
knows that music is the essential center of her life.
Anson Jones’ sound is united by her virtuosity and her exploration of novel
soundscapes. Her path led to collaboration with Adrian Harpham of Modern Icon
Recordings for her debut EP, A Way With Words. An artist in the studio, Harpham
sets the perfect frame for Anson’s soulful and breezy vocal style. The lyrics
and delivery are direct and intimate, stories of life that are easily our
own, with a lush soundscape surrounding the vocalist to bring the stories on a
deeper journey.
A Way With Words is a powerful introduction to the world of Anson Jones, and is
set for global release on June on Modern Icon Recordings via Ropeadope.
Track Listing:
1. A Way With Words 04:02
2. Call Me When You Get There 04:25
3. Unforeseen 03:34
Personnel:
Anson Jones: lead and backing vocals (1, 2, 3), organ (2), horns (2), lead synths (2), flute synth (2), piano (3), Rhodes (3), acoustic guitars (3)
Adrian Harpham: live drums (1, 3) , snaps (1), claps (1), percussion (1), sound design (1), programmed drums (2), ARP synth bass (2, 3), Santur sample (2), sampled drums (3), midi strings (3), CASIO synth (3)
Leyeux: acoustic guitars (1), guitar solo (1), electric guitar (2)
David Inniss: bass (1, 3)
Bruce Flowers: piano (1, 2, 3)
Tim Lefev: acoustic bass (2)
Geoff Gordon: guitar solo (2)
Music by Anson Jones, Adrian Harpham, Leyeux
Words by Anson Jones
Live
drums recorded by Brendan Mcheehan and Adrian Harpham at Studio Chez-A
Philadelphia, PA
Anson vox recorded by Brendan Mcgeehan, Matt Muir, Robby Webb at Studio Chez-A,
Philadelphia, PA
Additional Anson vox recorded at Anson home studio, NYC and Princeton, NJ.
Electric Bass recorded by Adrian Harpham at Terminator A studio NYC
Piano recorded by Bruce Flowers home studio, Brooklyn NY,
Acoustic bass recorded at Tim Lefev home studio, Phoenix, Arizona.
Jeff Gordon’s Guitar recorded at Jeff Gordon home studio Lexington MA.
Leyeux’s guitars recorded at Leyeuxs’ home studio, Woodstock and Burlington,
VT.
Produced and Mixed by Adrian Harpham
Mastered by Phil Nicolo
Review:
Vocalist Anson Jones’ three-song EP A Way With Words on Ropeadope by way of the independent shingle Modern Icon Records is poppy, expressive, vibrant, rich and textured. Her music has real Lauren Desberg vibes, finding all the right tones of jazz, R&B and singer-songwriter tropes while never adhering strictly to any of them. It’s not an uncommon direction in the music and she’s doing it all right. Bruce Flowers shines in the right moments with his piano runs. Adrian Harpham finds just the right snap on the drums and sound design. Maybe this works because three songs isn’t long enough to lose focus on a larger idea, but the band Jones assembled only leaves one excited to hear what more they can pull off. They’re definitely capable of it.
Anthony Dean-Harris (DownBeat)
