Max Jury, 'Numb'

Max Jury makes music steeped in country and soul. And, though the two genres are different in expression, at their core are similar themes of loneliness, love and devotion. For his newest music, Jury sought out help from a local church music director near his friend's home studio in North Carolina. That musician, Jackson Russell, showed up with a few cousins — who, Jury says, sang like angels. They became a big part of his self-titled debut record.

This song, "Numb," has been kicking around for a while now — originally as just an acoustic-guitar tune. In an email, Jury says it was inspired by a dark period in his life.

I had left school in Boston and moved back home to Des Moines. I was working as a maintenance man for parks and recreation, which wasn't as bad as getting teeth pulled, but not very inspiring creatively. I had hit a wall in knowing what I wanted to do with my life. And this malaise that was following me around was starting to impact my relationships and friendships. Not to be melodramatic, but I felt unwanted and bit crazed. which people were starting to notice. That's what the second verse of "Numb" is about: "When I sing my stranger blues, I make it on the local news / 'cause everybody likes to see you lose."

Max Jury's next album follows Jury's two 2014 EPs, Something In The Air and All I Want. It comes out June 3.

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