With early praise rolling in from The Seattle Times who proclaim “Jones looks poised to become one of the next ambassadors of Seattle rock to the outside world…,” and American Songwriter who declare that the “Emerald City rock ‘n’ roll expert, Ayron Jones is the sound of the storm on the horizon,” you can listen to the 12-track collection here.
Doubling down on his uniqueness with music that harkens back to his beginnings, Jones explains the title. “Having faced the abandonment I did as a child, and how that affected me in life, is really what this album is about. It’s the triumph of overcoming all of that and still being that person. I’m the same kid looking for his parents, that longed for the love and support,” he shares.
“A lot of people have faced adoption and abandonment, but it’s not really talked about as to how that affects people and I thought it was important to be a beacon of hope for those people. To stand for something and prove not everyone has to be a stereotype or statistic.”
CHILD OF THE STATE features current US Top 5 and rising single ‘Mercy’ as well as his US Top 5 debut ‘Take Me Away’, which proved that there’s definitely a market for Jones’ genre-blending sound. His life is sprinkled throughout the full album, with lyrics tackling controversial subjects, and stories that listeners can relate to.
Masterfully upending preconceived notions of music and lyrics, the album feeds on a palpable passion: from the bluesy ‘Baptized In Muddy Waters’, evoking Muddy Waters both literal and figurative, to the stripped-down and pensive ‘My Love Remains’, and the hard-driving soulful melody of ‘Boys From the Puget Sound’. ‘Supercharged’ stands as an anthem for his love for female energy and past muses while ‘Spinning Circles’ weaves together complex issues of addiction and relationships.
Recently named to the global 2021 class of Fender Next, Jones’ guitar prowess is getting noticed. From one song to the next on the album, Jones’ love affair with the guitar and his versatility on the instrument shines through. He also played a heavy role in production on CHILD OF THE STATE, collaborating with producers to craft his sound and vision. “The experience of working with various individuals on the project both allowed me to express myself and my experience in the studio, plus to further my own knowledge of production,” he explains.
“I’m this cat that is playing Rock, and I probably look like I came from the hood—which I did,” Jones adds. “But I’m not the stereotype, and I want people to be taken aback. I want people to think about what CHILD OF THE STATE means. And when they open up this record by a hoodie-wearing Black man from the worst of circumstances who’s creating this sonically gorgeous music, I want people to think about that, too.”
