Following “Conversations With my Wife,” Pop singer, songwriter, and producer Jon Bellion returns with another compelling single, “JT.”

Jon Bellion had been extremely quiet, following the release of his 2016, major-label debut album, The Human Condition.  In my mind, that LP had plenty of highlights, including “All Time Low,” “New York Soul – Pt. ii,” and the explicit “Woke the F*ck Up.”  Of course, it was “All Time Low” that got folks buzzing about the producer, singer, and songwriter, in addition to his work behind the scenes with others. After releasing single “Conversations With my Wife”, Bellion returns with another single, “JT.”  

What does “JT” stand for? John Travolta if you can believe it.  “JT” features a unique rhythmic groove, synths, and electric piano. Jon Bellion serves up low-key, subtler vocals on the verse.  That said, the melody is rhythmic.  The vocals are warm on the pre-chorus and chorus sections, finding Bellion ascending into his upper register, a stark contrast to the verse.

“Lay me down, put me out

Call me home, let me know

I’m ready to go

‘Cause I was down, now, I’ve flown

Oh, what’s reality lately?”

Beyond the pre-chorus, the chorus is both catchy and rhythmic:

“Remember dreams seemed so far away

Was pinching pennies like Lane and Hardaway

Now my beats make fees for holidays in Greece

And I don’t mean John Travolta.”

The wordplay is nothing short of epic.  Moving beyond the chorus, the second verse is performed similarly to the first, though Bellion incorporates more oomph and ascends a bit higher.  The Travolta references continue, as he mentions the Quentin Tarantino film that Travolta starred in, Pulp Fiction.  Beyond the unique lyrics, there are some excellent sounds in addition the standard groove, synths, and electric piano that occur on the second verse.  Also worth noting are the lovely choral backing vocals on the chorus section, which only accentuate Bellion’s lead.

Final Thoughts

I appreciate the fact that Jon Bellion is going against the grain with his new studio album. It’s safe to say that he’s even more experimental compared to the alternative pop of The Human Condition (2016).  Perhaps “JT” won’t appeal to everyone, but all in all, it’s an intriguing, well-rounded, left-of-center pop record.

Jon Bellion • JT – Single • Capitol • Release: 10.26.18

Photo Credit: Capitol