Upon first listening to Maxwell James, imagine a hybrid of sound between Sam Beam from Iron & Wine and Luke Bryan. Combining just the right amount of guitar strumming and drawn out lyrics, James instruments both perfectly in his Album Self-Titled. The tracks on the album vary from angsty rock to feel good Country, showing two different sides to his sound. With lyrics like, “roll down your windows slowly, you’ll get to know me” illustrate a storytelling quality that centers around ordinary happenings. The way that he arranges such lyrics to the music makes the qualities of country and rock music into a sound all his own. An example of this on the album is within the track Roll Down Your Window Slowly, a standout track on the EP. The merging of his unique voice, precise musical arrangement, and whipping up a melting pot of sounds will keep listeners wanting more from this Nashville based musician.
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