Laurence Jones - "On My Own" (2026): a blues album worth listening

Laurence Jones released his first album in 2010 and has since gone on to collect many awards and accolades along the way. From fronting his own band in his mid-teens to becoming a solo artist of some repute, he has blazed a trail through Blues and Blues/ Rock for over a decade. On My Own is the tenth album that he has released. It hit the shops and socials in January of this year. The album is entirely acoustic, just Laurence on vocals and acoustic guitar. It is a back-to-basics collection of material telling the all too familiar story of the struggles, desperation, and loneliness that a Blues artist usually faces. However, On My Own has a deeply moving and personal tale of the life and times of Mr. Jones. He has been diagnosed with Crohn’s dis-ease and has suffered immensely over the last few years with this debilitating and terrible condition. 

 

This album tells the story of the struggles and despair that he has faced along the way, but he has come out of the other side with a new collection of stripped-back Blues tracks that, in my opinion, are some of his best work to date. The album opens with, One Life which sees Jones almost reinvigorated, especially vocally. I don’t think I’ve heard such confidence in his voice for a long time. That’s a huge part of the appeal to me, new beginnings, a different approach. A change is as good as a rest, as they say. Songs such as Get Back Up, Ain’t Coming Back No More, and the wonderful, Middle Of The Night reflect what he truly feels. Having known Laurence for a few years, I should not be surprised at anything that he produces, but this feels like a milestone in his career, turning a different corner that I’m sure will lead him down new roads. (STEPHEN HARRISON)