Early James is the newest signing to Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label. The Black Keys Dan Auerbach decided he needed to produce the singer's debut album after watching just two seconds of a video of James performing, says: "Some people are good singers, and some people are better than good singers; they just have this great form of expression.". The Alabama native’s debut spans hard-charging blues, wistful folk, and ages-old pop crooning, anchored by the singer's voice that oscillates from gravel-gruff shout to a honey-smooth whisper. James' inspirations run from Hank Williams, Fiona Apple ,Tom Waits and Miles Davis to the Southern Gothic poets, as heard in the album's darker themes and in the wry humour with which he writes about them.