Critically acclaimed new album 'Chronicles Of The Kid' out now
In 2021, as the world seemed like it was burning down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and global protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd, Seattle-born rockstar Ayron Jones was achieving his dream. That’s when his song ‘Mercy’, from his debut major label record release, Child of the State, hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Rock Chart, making Jones one of the few solo Black artists to achieve the feat. Today, Jones releases the follow-up to that LP, Chronicles of The Kid. As such, he's the happiest he’s ever been, content in himself and confident in his stride. But what is the cost of this clarity? That question permeates his new release.
"For me, my last album was really my coming of age— a lifetime of stories quantified into a 12-song album for the world to get to know me. Little did I know how much my life would change in such a short amount of time," Jones explains. "Chronicles of The Kid is an album about those changes. It’s about searching for my identity musically, spiritually, and emotionally, as I’ve been thrust into a new role in my life. Like with all my music, I put my heart on my sleeve and bared my soul for the world see. I couldn’t be more proud of this album and, in my opinion, it’s my best work to this day. And as I stand at the top of this proverbial cliff, I take comfort in knowing that I’m not alone, because there’s a world of people that share my experiences. Like me, they contemplate what it means to be human. For them, and others like them, I dedicate this record."
What if the stories you wanted to tell hurt people around you? Would you still tell them? For Jones, the answer is yes. They’re his stories, and his honesty is the fuel that lights his powerful fire. To be human is to get dirty— or, in Jones’ own words, ‘Filthy’. It’s the struggle of being who you are that’s most important. And, as Jones sings on his new album, he’s here for the crown - ‘The Title’
Laden with vulnerability, Chronicles of The Kid's equally scathing-yet-redemptive standout is ‘My America.’ Written by Jones, alongside Blair Daly (Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson), Marti Frederiksen (Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith), Zac Maloy (Black Stone Cherry, Daughtry), and Scott Stevens (Shinedown, Halestorm), the unflinching anthem blends the best of its collaborators with achingly raw verses and an earworm of a chorus that’s a salve for American-sized wounds.
"How can this be my America / If I can’t breathe / In a world where they’re selling ya / The death of me", Jones sings in homage to George Floyd, before launching into an audacious chorus that takes an honest and hopeful look at his homeland. The pain in his voice is palpable as the bridge’s breakdown leads to an unconventional double-time outro that perfectly encapsulates the turbulent emotion of the American experience.
Hailed by American Songwriter as “one of the biggest names in the genre,” Jones, who has opened for The Rolling Stones and shared stages with groups like Guns N’ Roses and Public Enemy, is the man he’s always wanted to be. He’s given up any façade for the sake of embracing the very real fantasy of what it means to be himself. You can hear all about it on Chronicles of The Kid, out now on all platforms.
