Laurence Jones 'On My Own' album review: Songwriter navigates illness, independence, and follows the urge to finally dance to his own tune.

For a guitarist long associated with big tones and bigger stages, Laurence Jones’ first-ever solo acoustic album strips his sound back to its bones. The result unveils a songwriter navigating illness, independence, and the urge to finally dance to his own tune.

Written during a severe Crohn’s disease flare-up, the album was shaped by pain, isolation, and reflection. Yet ‘On My Own’ isn’t a bleak listen. Instead, it often sounds like a travelling outlaw troubadour shaking the dust off his boots and heading for open road. Opener ‘One Life’ sets the tone with a country-rock stomp, driven by slide guitar and a restless spirit. “All my life down on my luck, time to change it,” Jones sings, sounding determined to rewrite the script and wearing his guitar as a statement of intent.

On ‘Life I Made’, handclaps and a loose groove underline the album’s theme of self-belief and control. The title track ‘On My Own’ slows things down into a languid southern blues, built around the line “the only friend is the blues.” It’s a defiant statement capturing Jones breaking free from years of relentless touring and record-company expectations. “This is the right time, leaving it all behind,” he declares, and you believe him, and you can sense the freedom in his voice.

‘I’m Giving Up’ injects fresh energy, blending familiar blues elements into a more modern, vigorous sound. Rolling guitar runs, flashy fretwork, and an addictive melody give the track plenty of shape. Elsewhere, ‘Do You Feel the Same’ feels like it was written with a full classic rock band in mind, its fuzzy guitar textures and dominant percussion giving it a bigger, bolder shape than much of the record.

As the album winds down, ‘Middle of the Night’ slips back into sleepy, old-school blues territory before closer ‘Beautiful’ fingerpicks its way through a warm pop-country moment, offering a gentle and reflective send-off.

Stripped back on his own terms, Jones proves his abilities as a songwriter and storyteller, but there are moments where you can’t help missing the power and colour a full band brings to his sound. Even so, this album is confident, relaxed and personal, marking a new chapter in Jones’ musical story - one that he’s in charge of .