Jay William Henderson
The Sun Will Burn Our Eyes EP
Self-Released
Street: 05.01
JWH = Mark Knopfler + Amos Lee + Cat Stevens
The Sun Will Burn Our Eyes EP is the first solo release from Band of Annuals’ lead singer, Jay William Henderson. Instrumentally, Henderson favors the acoustic guitar backed by tremolo keys or electric guitar, slide guitar and the earnest whines of the steel pedal. Through the first listen, I often thought of the soundscapes created by the likes of Damien Rice and David Gray, due in part to the string arrangements on songs like the title track and “Maybe You Got All You Need.” The album is devoid of any kind of hooks, requiring the listener to invest in the music and actually listen in order to access anything. The EP is melodically and thematically slow and melancholy, dealing with loss, sadness and the defeat of the heart. The EP doesn’t diverge much from melancholy, making most of the tracks blend together. However, Henderson’s songwriting and arranging ability is top notch, and probably the most evident part of this EP.