Brooklyn — Iowa native Max Jury is a 21-year-old wunderkind with a sound that’s as beautifully sparse as the flatlands themselves but deeply affective, too, as his ties to the heartland might suggest. With little recorded material released to date, Jury just exited the starting gates with a sophomore EP that’s equipped with enough velocity to propel him to resplendent spotlights. His latest endeavor, Sonic Factory Sessions, surfaced this week on The Windish Agency.
Raised in Des Moines, Jury started playing the piano at the age of six and by 13 he had his first song written. After much time and practice, his talent earned him entrance to Boston’s Berklee College of Music. But Jury’s simply not cut from a perfunctory cloth, and he quickly learned his passion for music wasn’t easily crammed into institutional molds.
In the end, Jury dropped out of Berklee. “I wanted to learn by doing it, as opposed to being in the classroom,” he said, via his current record label. “It drained me of my creativity outside of the classroom – you go home and the last thing you want to do is pick up your guitar or play the piano after you’ve been doing it all fucking day.”
Pedigree diploma or not, Jury soldiered on and successfully produced his first effort, the Something In The Air EP, which came to light some six months ago. By and large, Jury’s sound is not quite country, though it hikes that ridgeline closely. Rather, this artist’s work picks up rock, soul, pop and roots influences along the way like a hoard of welcomed hitchhikers. The product is a carefully rendered sonic melting pot that entrances listeners as calmly as the seasons change.
Jury’s latest EP emulates this amalgamation of genres masterfully. A quick four-track hit, it will sway newcomers with rapidity and bait the waters for more fans with uncompromising might.
The EP begins with “All I Want,” a soul-steeped ballad that is effortlessly genuine. On the EP’s opener, Jury’s bare-all id takes center stage, and the desires depicted in the lyrics are at once voluminous, nostalgic and relatable. Next up is “Black Metal,” a track that comes complete with a show-stopping music video. The footage was first aired via Clash Magazine, and it is majestically incongruous. “Black Metal” is a quiet track, but paired with its visuals the song adopts a calm yet jarring angle. Jury somehow depicts an affinity for black metal music in a way that’s sweet and endearing, and the track ultimately bolsters an appreciation for personal propensities with unapologetic interest.
The EP’s third hit, “Change Your Mind For Me,” is slightly more upbeat. This is a track that’s earnest and catchy, and plays like a solidly personal guidebook for elite and deliberate interpersonal exchanges. “Killing Time” wraps up the EP with a cool and waxy narrative that wanes into background harmonies and wanders down unexpected guitar riffs.
Jury plays his live shows solo, or “with a full band made up of friends and ex-lovers,” according to The Windish Agency. Take some time to acquaint yourself with Jury’s doubly stunning EPs, and brace yourself for the day we break the seal on Jury’s first full-length endeavor (TBD).
Better yet, If you like what Jury’s delivered so far, you can catch him at CMJ in New York City next week. Jury is scheduled to play October 23 at Rockwood Music Hall, followed by a performance that same night at the Windish Agency CMJ Showcase, where he will play alongside Ages and Ages, CRUISR, Line & Circle, BØRNS, Sun Club and Fractures at Pianos.
Max Jury Tour Dates – Go HERE for the full list of nationwide tour dates.
Liz Rowley
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