Side note before we even begin: As I started writing this post, I smelled vape smoke. And truth be told, that’s what Maxwell James‘s latest single "The Violence Close To Home" feels like. The lyrics have darkness to them, and James delivers them with a smoky voice that has a deceiving chill tone to it. The instrumentation feels like something to which you’d sway rather than brood. It seems strange for a song with such depth to feel so blissful, but James — who released his debut EP last year — has a knack for creating music that catches you off guard and makes you go "Wow." Take a listen to "The Violence Close To Home" below, and stay tuned to James’s Facebook page for upcoming show dates. – Will Sisskind
