Colin Jones – Mama Don’t Weep (2020)
Colin Jones is an accomplished filmmaker and musician who experimented with the bass at a young age. He then picked up the piano and guitar, but now works with his musical style that is unique and free of formalities. Since his debut, he has gained a reputation as being one of Sydney’s most interesting acts. His new EP Mama Don’t Weep is like a screenplay that ebbs and flows through conceptual ranges and depths.
The EP has a diverse and multifaceted sound ranging from jazzy to chaotic. The tracks combine on the EP to create an interesting sonic identity that will stick with you and leave you wanting more. The music video for the title track is well worth a watch as well.
The first and title song ‘Mama Don’t Weep’ hits you hard with some driving blues guitar from the start. This is a great way to get you hooked to the song and the entire EP. There is an amazing rhythm to this track that makes you want to listen to it again and again. Jones’ vocals are delightfully smoky on the track with just a hint of rasp to add to the blues vibe.
‘Let Me Be’ grabs your attention with the vocal hooks while the deep drums hold you down. The piano and horns in the song almost sound like they should be in a completely different song, but they work so well with the rest of the melody. This song has a hard jazz vibe to it with a lot of action.
‘Ain’t No Devil’ continues the multi-layered vibe of the EP. This track has a rock-blues vibe to it that drives hard and does not let up for a single moment. The song is so engaging that you will be shocked when it ends.
The next track is ‘How Long’ which has a more traditional jazz opening to it. This song lets you relax a bit after ‘Ain’t No Devil’ but still makes you want to move to the beat. There is a smoky ambience to this song that transports you to dimly-lit jazz clubs. While this song is the longest on the EP, it is so smooth that you don’t realise it is over five minutes long.
‘Please Don’t Make Me Love You’ has a dreamy feeling to it from the gentle piano to Jones’ vocals. This is a very soothing song and uses light instrumentation to create a flowing melody that makes you want to close your eyes and appreciate it. The floating melody makes the lyrics hit a little harder.
‘Is This Love’ is the last track on the EP and has a sad feeling woven into the melody and lyrics. The slow tempo and dark vocals add to the melancholy of the track. This song asks some hard questions about love and ends the EP in a soft manner.
Colin Jones takes you through a whirlwind of music on Mama Don’t Weep. The EP is full of driving blue beats and melancholic guitars that put your emotions through the wringer. Each track has its own feel, but they work as a whole to map a sonic screenplay.
Find out more about Colin Jones on his website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
