Singer-songwriter Aaron James’s latest album, ‘Nobody Really Makes Love Anymore’ is an artistic statement that feels like one long meaningful conversation about love, addressing the full spectrum sentimentality of the emotion.

The 13-track album winds through actual short and thoughtful spoken musings on love along with songs of sadness, longing, pondering, anger, and, even, a few hopeful and positive tunes.

‘Nobody Really Makes Love Anymore’ is not about any particular relationship. It was written during a time where it felt virtually impossible to choose love, and it felt irresponsible to even search for it,” the Memphis-based indie folk artist says. “I feel that dedicating an album to this emotion is almost my retaliation to that guilty feeling of searching for love in what often feels like a loveless world. I hope these songs can inspire and encourage people to choose having human experiences and not give up on love for the comfort of simulation.”

The 13-track album was recorded with a team of three producers and multi-instrumentalists, featuring co-producer Kid Maestro (Miss Lauryn Hill), and keyboard/piano/harmony vocalist Eillo. Aaron wrote all the songs, sang all the leads, and played all the guitar. The album is definitely a COVID baby, produced in ad hoc studio settings, including a shed. “It mostly worked okay, except the sound canceling wasn’t great. It was frustrating, but a lot of stuff actually made it on the album and it was a great exercise in capturing the DIY vibe of the time and just not taking things too seriously,” Aaron says. “I also hope the rawness translates and helps make this dialogue on love feel more honest as opposed to something that was way over produced.”

“I think the more specific you can be, the harder the song connects”

How do you usually approach songwriting?

Aaron James: I was a guitar player long before I became a songwriter, so it always starts with guitar, either my acoustic or my nylon string which I’ve been playing more and more lately. From there a melody just starts to fumble out of my mouth in the form of gibberish, and then those sounds eventually lead to words. And then those words usually spell out something that I’m going through at the moment, or maybe a particular memory that’s easily identifiable … and then that becomes the story. There are plenty of times though that as I sit down to write I know exactly what I want to write about. It just all depends on where I’m at in my life I suppose.

What do you think makes a good song?

I think the more specific you can be, the harder the song connects. You’d think that if you write incredibly specific to just your experiences … then it’d alienate people and nobody would do it. But I find the more specific you write about whatever you’re going through/went through … the more intense it connects with the people who get it. It’s weird … like it works inversely. But you just have to be incredibly honest.

If you could work with any other current artist who would it be?

Mmm … probably Damien Rice. It’d be nice to chat about life and then write a song. Justin Vernon is a very close second though.

You just recently released a new album. What can you tell us about the process of making ‘Nobody Really Makes Love Anymore’?

Honestly there were a lot of different processes. It was created over the course of 2+ years, and we were in several different studio settings, from a home studio, a shed-converted into a studio, a studio studio, a patio, ha! I think that’s part of what was so special about it … is the process was continuously changing, and I think that worked its way into the conversational narrative of the album. As the process changed, so did all of our lives, which then shifted the conversation on love that we tried to depict through these songs. It was a beautiful experience to put SO much of myself into something though, and I can’t wait for the next chance I have to do it all again.

How was it to work with a team of producers and multi-instrumentalists, including co-producer Kid Maestro and keyboard/piano/harmony vocalist Eillo?

It was incredible, and the album’s identity would be nowhere close to what it is without their contribution. If you have a favorite part in any song … more than likely it came from one of their production decisions.

Kid Maestro is just always coming at things from an angle that’s completely different from what I would naturally think to do. And his ability to just wander in the creative process is so freeing to be a part of.

And Eillo is just kind of a prodigy … it’s kind of annoying sometimes ya know? Like…he’s just so good. So emotive and his intuition is just spot on every time.

How long did you work on the album?

About two and a half years. I started writing the first songs on it in the spring of 2020, and we just released it on November 4th 2022.

Do you have a tour or other live shows in the works?

Yes! Lots of travels coming in 2023. I miss being on the road so much and I’ve been holding off until this album came out … and now that it’s out, the surrounding Memphis region (and a bit beyond) can definitely expect to see me throughout the coming year.

Let’s end this interview with some of your favorite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?

I’ve been exploring Madison Cunningham lately, she has a song called ‘Broken Harvest’ that blows me away every time I listen to it. Also the most recent Maro album. Also been listening to some oldies like Perry Como and Julie London.