Coco Jones Arrives With Debut Album 'Why Not More?'

‘Why Not Now?’ is a turbulent affair. It’s penetrating, and the type of album that is visceral, complex and overwhelming. An intense force of nature that rushes you from the off.

Coco Jones’ debut album is a natural progression from her EP What I didn’t tell you, contemporary but nostalgic it exists in a timeless space due to certain tracks taking inspiration from time periods gone by.

There is a bravery and confidence that she has grown into, stylistically as well as by exploring discourse and subject matter. That boldness in expression demonstrates why Jones’ has the potential to create authentic art.

“Why Not More? is the question I’ve been asking myself in hopes of understanding me and growing in confidence”, Coco said.

“This album is about leaning into whoever you are right now without worrying about who you’ve been or who you want to be in the future. Authenticity will never lead you to the wrong place, so why not lean in?”

The opening track of the 14-track project, thunders in with ‘Keep It Quiet’, in juxtaposition to its title, the instrumental is loud and insistent, jolting you. Followed by a passionate plea from Coco, asking to be left in the dark to her partner’s suspected infidelity and wandering nature.

‘Taste’, one of the leading singles released in the run up to the album dropping, is more pop influenced- sampled by Britany Spears’ ‘Toxic’. Boasting snyth patterns and gentle percussion, lay the groundwork for sweetly sung notes and romance.

We find Coco yearning on ‘On Sight’, demonstrating her ability to sing long drawn out airy notes, before she impresses with her skill as a songwriter with ‘AEOMG’.

Softening, ‘Thang For U’ explores a more typical 90s R&B sound. Achingly tender and genuine, Jones’ steps in vulnerability as she admits to having a crush, and wanting something real rather than light fun. She sings, “Baby I would even go insane for you/Telling us it prolyl won’t last, don’t care what they say/I’m ready tp cross without looking both ways.”

Dealing with the consequences of falling in love with the wrong person on the dynamic ‘Here We Go (Uh Oh)’ she attempts to move on, sampling Lenny Williams’ 1978 soul ballad ‘Cause I Love You’.

Slow and downtempo-ed ‘The Other Side Of Love’ is a melancholic and sad exploration of Coco’s inability to move on. It’s a nice transition into ‘Why Not More?’, a reggae-inflected eruption of frustration about being led on featuring YG Marley.

Based off a comforting guitar pattern, ‘Hit You Where It Hurts’ poses the question of Would you like it if I acted the way you do before joining up with London on de Track and Future on ‘Most Beautiful Design'.

The affectionate ballad ‘You’ is full of want and longing, but also the contentment she feels when in the arms of the one she loves, in soft, delectable undertones, falling easily back into the cycle.

It is surprising, therefore that ‘Nobody Exists’, sampling Keyisha Cole’s ‘Heaven Sent’ that Jones’ appears to move on from the saga, carrying the mourning and loss into ‘Be By Myself’.

She acknowledges that indecision in ‘Be By Myself’ with the line, “Is it me, or am I stuck in-between?” as she summarises the whole journey of the album, a process of learning, relearning who she is inside and outside of the relationship.

‘Forever Don’t Hit Like Before’ doesn’t answer the question; however, it offers a final argument on the value of love, it’s fragility and also the uncertainty.

She gains perspective and an earned awareness of who she is, and we also learn more about her, bridging the gap and filling the picture in, allowing the 26-year-old singer/songwriter to firmly establish herself as a musician with conviction, and everything else, like being a actor and her other pursuits, being second.

She will also be going on her headline, Why Not More?, performing in New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Berlin and more. 

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