Karen Jonas – Lucky, Revisited (Yellow Brick)
Alt. country doesn’t get the
coverage it once did, especially in the UK, but there are still plenty of
artists out there, writing songs straight from the heart and ramping up the
twang, and Karen Jonas is a prime example.
For her fourth long-player Jonas
has revisited her earlier records – thus the title – and has re-recorded nine
songs that have evolved through five years of solid touring and hundreds of
gigs, together with a couple of cover tunes that I guess were itches that
needed scratching. Though it would be difficult to disagree with either her
choices or their delivery: perennial show tune ‘Lovesick Blues’ shuffles along
with enough rambunctious energy to rival Hank Williams’ classic interpretation,
and Dylan’s ‘It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry’ is slowed right
down allowing Jonas to air her pipes in a most satisfactory manner.
Amongst Jonas’ own material there
are some storming performances. Straight out the traps ‘Ophelia’ sets the tone
with guitar foil Tim Bray whipping up a country storm and Jonas laying down the
law. ‘Lucky’, originally recorded for 2014’s ‘Oklahoma Lottery’ album, retains
its classic western poker imagery and luck-of-the-draw sentiments, whilst
piling on the yearning and an extra heap of heartbreak for good measure. Recommended.
Rollo
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