Lost In You by Jon Vinyl
Life is good, my friends. We're a few weeks deep into the NFL season, my team is winning, and a new iPhone just dropped that I'll get my fingers on soon enough, and we are on the cusp of the NBA season. Yes, I know there's still a whole ass pandemic constantly hitting us with jabs and right crosses but ignore that, my pals; we are thinking positive thoughts. I surfed through the Apple Music algorithms this week and found one of my favorite R&B/Soul projects of the year.
Lost In You by Jon Vinyl is an immaculate album that explores the feelings and emotions of love. The good love, though. The "we still laugh and smile together after years together" love.
"Lost In You" begins with "Chrome Hearts," and Jon is already displaying powerful, smooth vocals within the first couple of lines. "Can we be friends? Sick and tired of singing all these love songs," he sings over guitar plucks. By the end, though, I am pissed off. It's only about one minute long. I have to remind myself this is just an intro. If you're going to make the intro that fire, at least give me two minutes. (I did play it like five times back to back, but that's neither here nor there)
"Stacy" is an unexpected win. As someone who's never heard Jon's music before and only going off of the intro, I wasn't expecting the tone switch, but it's welcomed. Stacy follows up with the "Let's be friends" theme set by the intro. Jon finds himself trying to decide what the next step in their situation should be. I'm again impressed by the vocals as Jon melodically sings the name "Stacy." It's a good listen.
Songs like "Deflect" and "Void" are great displays of Jon's vocal prowess and songwriting skill. Full of lines to text your girl during the good and the bad. Void is especially perfect for when you gotta set the mood on a "come through and chill" type of night.
Five songs in, and Jon is scoring at a very efficient rate. "Always" is probably my second favorite song on the album. I can't lie; I almost shed an absolute thug tear here. This is a beautiful song I feel like not only I relate to, but anyone who's ever really been in love can relate to. "I'm hoping that you always take your chances with me." Send that line to your significant other right now, and I bet y'all will be crying and sharing memories in the next 20 minutes. The slow bpm, the softer snare, the falsetto notes Jon hits effortlessly on the hook…this is the R&B/Soul I see all of you ask about on Twitter. This will automatically be forever embedded in my playlist.
I know artists generally don't like to say what they think the best song on an album is, so don't worry, Jon, if you're reading this, I'll say it for you. "Told You" is the absolute best song on this album. Trust me, there's no bias here at all as It's my first time hearing of Jon and his music, and I'm also one thousand percent sure he has no idea I'm writing this… that being said, I truly believe "Told You" is one of the best R&B songs in a while. "What if I told you your touch feels so right? What if I told you your heart's made for mine?" My friends Jon Vinyl took the time out to give us men ammo the same way Summer Walker gives the women theirs. Don't waste it on just anybody, though.
Even though there is an Outro, Jon's vocal additions to the album wrap up with "All Bad," a balled of a man struggling to figure out where his relationship and life stand. "Is it all bad until it's good?" He harmonizes as he asks for a response from his love. He's torn, and he's able to make you feel the pain in his vocals. It takes a great artist to be able to do that. Jon is consistent in making you think about the things he sings about on this album.
"Lost In You," simply put, is a beautiful album worth multiple listens. You can listen by yourself, but listening with someone you love might not be a bad idea either. You can stream it on all major platforms.
Remember my friends. Winter is here. Find someone to chill with, and don't be out here sad and lonely staring out the window while it rains.