A.J. Ellis got a taste of the rock ’n’ roll life playing in his brother Steve Ellis’ band The Simpletons. That led to his joining Five O’Clock Heroes, which toured with Albert Hammond Jr. of The Strokes and developed a loyal following in NYC and in the U.K., where A.J. had been born. Three years after the final Heroes album, Ellis has issued his solo debut, which captures a young singer/songwriter cruising between pop, folk, country, and blues tropes to establish his own literary sound. Recorded in Leeds, England, at Cannonball Studios with producer George Riley (The Blacklisters, Heart Ships), mixed in Nashville by Willie Breeding, and mastered by Duane Lundy (My Morning Jacket) in Lexington, Ky., Bury the Devil features a mix of British and U.S. influences that flow together. “Hit the Bottom” nails a weightless pop with its falsetto vocal and handclaps. The rockabilly-country rhythms of “Dance All Night” pledge allegiance to independence. The title track bounces and pounces with a streetwise strut that’s overwhelmed by pianos and organs that color over the double-tracked vocals, which speak words wise beyond their years.