Trey Bonner Raised Rowdy Videographer and Contributor
I love this EP so I did a full review of each of the songs and how the stories told by Clay Jones Band make me feel. More than likely, y’all can relate… BUT I am aware that its 2019 and most people are not going to read the full article because y’all are going to go back to swiping right on Tinder and seeking gratification through your Instagram follower count. Below is a short synopsis in case you lack an attention span, but I implore you to give this whole thing a read and the project a proper listen.
Hailing from Hanceville, Alabama, Clay Jones Band is easily one of the most talented bands out right now. From their honest songwriting, powerful vocals and top notch facial hair, they are definitely on the rise. Clay Jones Band worked on this EP with the talented Josh Bright Productions to create a raw, good vibes, catchy collection of songs that really hits home and makes you think and count your blessings. 2019 has been an amazing year for music and this EP is definitely in my top five projects of this year. Below is a song by song review and how the stories told in these songs impact the culture and society that we live in today.
Gravel Road
I think so many people of all ages can relate to this song. There are so many different stories and perspectives in this song. I also see this song piggybacking off of Comes With Age as somewhat as a prequel, leading up to our full-fledged adulthood.
“We were all lost just trynna get found, we get so high so we wouldn’t be down.”
“You didn’t have a choice when you ran with the boys”
“Twelve hour shifts don’t go by quick when the boss man won’t stop watching”
Throughout our life we get high, we get drunk, we do things to fit in and make our friends think we are cool. Most of the time we are just bored trying to get to the next day. We get tired. We are lonely. We are lost. We pray to God to help us. Prayer is so raw. I know most of y’all can relate to me when I say this. Half the time, I am begging God to give me a sign, give me somebody to love, show me something if you are really there. This song puts a huge smile on my face. It gives me hope. It gives my confused, racing mind hope. It gives me peace thinking about the progression of life thinking how far I have come and how far I am going. Find your happy place and go there. I know it’s easier said than done but don’t overthink things and go to your “Gravel Road”.
In My Arms Again
From the moment, I heard this song almost two years ago I could easily relate and I know all my fellow touring musicians and content creators can too. All we want is to do is see the world, be creative, and share our art with people. I love going on the road and seeing all these beautiful cities that are prettier than the mind can imagine. I love making memories with my best friends on tour. On the road, you create these experiences and bonds that are so amazing that you just cannot explain to people. But here is the catch: being in love and being on tour are two things that don’t always go together. I did it for years (while I was in a relationship) and you’re on the road, sound checking, sleeping in hotel rooms, meeting people who worked all week to come spend their money at your show and support you. You are finally living the dream you have wanted since you could remember but dammit it’s hard sleeping at night knowing before your show even starts, your girlfriend is going to go to bed. It feels like time is lost and memories aren’t being made. Then when you get off the road from tour and you are ready to spend time with her she has to work all week until you go right back out on the road and the cycle repeats. You are so thankful for the opportunities and blessings but also frustrated at the same time. Sometimes, you are with awesome bands who want to drive back eight hours through several states after your load out at 2am just so you can wake up on Sunday morning with the love of your life. It’s a double edged sword, but when you get home and finally get to see your love, the feeling is priceless.
Ain’t Just a Song
It’s so awesome to hear a stripped back version of this song since we have been blessed with the fully produced version that the Clay Jones Band released June of 2018. Music moves us and sometimes when you hear a certain song it immediately puts you back in time whether it is with your first love, an experience with your dad, or a good time you’ve had with your buddies. I think this song is so important because people underestimate the power of music and how important it is in our daily lives. Everyone listens to music. Whether you listen to the radio, super hipster playlists that nobody else will ever hear, or if you live for Raised Rowdy Nicky T’s Top 10 playlist on Spotify…everyone listens to music. It moves people, it makes you want to dance, it helps you know that someone can relate to what you are going through. Simply, it gives you something to do on a Thursday night while camping out so you can be front row at your favorite show.
Without You
Let’s face it. Our hearts break and as humans we crave love. Let me paint the scenario that this song portrays in my head. This song is so vague yet feels so real and honestly I do not think I have felt so emotionally present in a song since my favorite album of all time, Southeastern came out in 2013.
It’s Sunday. You hung out with the boys all weekend, drank beer, and watched football. Next, you are getting everything ready to get up and go to work on Monday, but something is missing. Your F-250 is sitting in the driveway, your laundry is done and you’re just waiting for Monday to come. You miss your ex-girlfriend. It’s inevitable that you still live in the same house that y’all lived in together and she’s just not there. Her Ford Explorer will never pull back into the driveway. She gave up on you, she gave up on your future, she gave up on the cute little dog y’all got together, but for her it’s easier. She left you and moved to another city where she does not have to see the missing furniture in the rooms in your house or the future y’all had promised each other, but hey you are still okay. You still go to work every damn day. You bust your ass and take care of yourself and do what you need to do to ensure that your dreams come true and you are happy. This song is so empowering and definitely a unique perspective on life, love and moving on that I have not heard before in music. Most songs are about breaking up and hating her guts, or begging her to come back, or your friends telling you to move on because that is what’s best. But damn Clay Jones really hits home with this song.
Comes With Age
The beloved title track of the EP. “Comes With Age” definitely sets the mood for this EP and I think it explains where we are all at in life. As we go through life, all we want is a purpose. Why? Why am I here? What am I doing? I think this song explains the stage most of us are at. We lean on our family, we lean on our friends and we make mistakes.
“Family should stand the test of time” – People come and go in and out of our lives depending on the seasons we are in but damn our family has had our back through thick and thin and seen first-hand the hell most of us have been through that you just cannot explain to people. I think this is so important that Clay Jones Band mentions family. The place that our society is at right now is so far from family oriented that we lose sight of what is truly important and we need to be there for the ones we love no matter what is happening.
“We’re just trying to find the meaning of the things that we believe in” – Honestly, I believe that everyone just wants to find something to keep them going. Without purpose, we are literally just living in space and that is absolutely terrifying to think about. We want a reason to get out of bed and push ourselves to be the best version of us every day.
Comes With Age is a fun, lighthearted song about our life as people in this crazy world we live in just trying to find our purpose as we grow old.