New York, NY, July 05, 2024 - Eric Michael Jones is an award winning singer-songwriter who describes himself as “Australian by birth, Canadian by chance, and New Yorker by choice.” Earlier this year, he was named "Best International Male Artist" in the UK WigWam Music Awards. Jones’ next single, "The Painful End," to be released on July 10, is a poignant meditation on mortality, in collaboration with UK music act Eleanor Collides.
“I was thinking about the fictions we tell ourselves to stave off dread such as ‘she died peacefully,’ or ‘at least he didn’t suffer.’ I decided to be blunt… the end is always painful for somebody.” This raw confrontation with mortality is both unsettling and refreshingly honest. Jones explains, “I’m not trying to be morose, it’s not a sad song.”
Having just gone through a global pandemic that killed millions, and seemingly elevated brutality saturating the daily news, Jones would like us to not be numbed by numbers. Every ‘number’ hurts and feels.
Eleanor Collides' vocals add a layer of melancholy that perfectly complements the stark lyrics. Known for his emotive voice and bittersweet themes, Collides brings the necessary emotional weight to the track. Jones’ instrumental arrangement, surprisingly optimistic with a gentle sway, evokes a surreal, almost Lynchian quality, making the song's brutal honesty more palatable.
Jones used his time during the COVID lockdowns to write and record more than thirty songs, which he is now refining and releasing at a regular pace. “Working remotely with collaborators across continents allows indie artists like me to expand their reach and polish the music like never before,” he says. The track was mixed and mastered by another Londoner, Charles Connolly.
Known for his lyrical imagery, Jones first presents a laundry list of creatures mindlessly dispatched: "In my life, I’ve crunched cockroaches / In my life I’ve killed ants with masking tape." Jones pulls no punches, painting vivid picture of violence against seemingly insignificant life forms, leading into the refrain - "Everybody has a painful end," reminding listeners of the universality of suffering, no matter how small the creature. Even the Dalai Lama once said, “I’ll give a mosquito three chances…”
Deeper into the song, Jones shifts to people he knew, adding a personal layer to the narrative. He memorializes those lost to tragic circumstances, from a classmate who died huffing butane to others who met equally grim fates. "I knew a guy who had a heart attack / Crawled through the snow / But he couldn’t get back to the house," he pens, emphasizing the relentless, often lonely nature of death.
Eric Michael Jones’ writing has often tended toward social sensitivities such as anti-bullying (More Push Than Pull), anti-violence (Violence), anti-war (Fight War), fossil fuels (No Gasoline), nuclear proliferation (New Clear Vision), and more. Deep subjects to be sure, yet delivered with wit and imagination. “I call my style dimensional rock with conditional optimism” says Jones, “I’m not sermonizing, I want people to dance and enjoy the music. I’ll just slip the message in.”
"The Painful End" is a powerful exploration of death's inevitability and the universal pain associated with it. Through its candid lyrics and contrastingly soothing instrumentation, it leaves a lasting impression, reminding us of the shared fate that binds all living creatures.
Release day is July 10, 2024.
Pre-listen link: https://fave.co/3L5Kq2X
About The Artists:
Eric Michael Jones
New York, NY
An award winning songwriter and artist known for creating music with unexpected elements. Working from a rock and roll palette he captures the energy from British Invasion to Americana, and has evolved his own engaging sound.
EricMichaelJones.com
Eleanor Collides
London, UK
Eleanor Collides is the solo project of London based singer, songwriter and guitarist Nick Ranga. Named after Nick’s childhood imaginary friend, Eleanor Collides is an unapologetically emotional exploration of some deeply personal themes.
EleanorCollides.com
About Studioli Music:
Studioli is a New York based music publisher representing the compositions of Eric Michael Jones. Wholly owned by Jones Studio Limited, Studioli is a member of the American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). The name 'Studioli' is a registered trademark of Jones Studio Limited.
Contact
Studioli Music
Eric Jones
646-837-0428
https://studiolimusic.com
