JB Elwood's latest single, Lost In My Ways, is an anthemic ballad centered on self-reflection and tackling one's own inner struggles. Elwood poetically sings of crippling addictions and the humility that comes with allowing them to take control over your life – belting out "Dreams wash down the neck of a bottle" ... "Humbled and knocked to the ground". The beauty in this song, however, is in its harmonious message that redemption is always right around the corner if you're willing to change yourself for the better. The repetition of the lines "I want to change, And I need to change, Cause I'm so lost in my ways" paints the picture of a man self-aware enough to know he has a problem and longing to get overcome it – culminating with the declaration "I may be broken but I can be set free". JB wore his heart on his sleeve throughout Lost In My Ways and deserves a big round of applause for singing about something so many of us struggle with on a daily basis; and an even bigger round of applause for just how pleasantly addictive this song is to listen to.
Lost In My Ways opens hot with an overdriven guitar riff and a heavy drum pattern to kick things off. Elwood's voice is introduced in the first verse, just after the short instrumental opening. The song's verse sections have more dialed-back instrumentation, while its chorus parts stack layers together to nicely bring the energy up. The percussive strums of the acoustic guitar work in unison with the drums to keep the rhythm rolling. After each chorus is an instrumental break with the heavy guitar hook heard in the track's opening. This fuzzy riff sounds like it would fit well into a Cage The Elephant or Arctic Monkeys tune. The bridge of the song has backing vocal layers echoing JB's lyrics and further emphasizing his message. Overall, Lost In My Ways has an intricate arrangement, with enough layers and movement to never feel stale. The instrumentation of the track manages to tastefully blend together the edgy tones of rock guitar with clean tones of acoustic strumming and atmospheric synths. This level of nuance in music production is hard to execute, but easy to appreciate.
A "city boy with a country heart", JB Elwood is an Austin, Texas-based alt rock pop artist with West Virginia roots. His love for playing guitar stems from first hearing the opening to Guns N' Roses, Welcome To The Jungle, at the age of ten and deciding to learn to play for himself. JB credits his enigmatic sound and Americana style to his familial ties to Appalachia – where, namely, his grandfather (the inspiration for his iconic stage name) worked as an entrepreneur and business owner in the coal fields of southern West Virginia. After partnering with a prominent social media strategist in January, 2024 is looking like it's going to be a big year for Elwood and his music career. Be sure to keep an eye out for the release of his latest album dropping later this year, along with some all-new music videos to match.
Written By Dan Caddigan
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