July 2015 - I Never Learn - by Karen Jonas
Karen Jonas is the single mother of two kids; a good mother. A working mother, a relentless touring artist, and she has found her calling. She was born to write songs. Never mind that she plays them and sings them so well as well. She writes amazing songs! Songs you wish you wrote. Songs I wish I wrote.
Karen Jonas is The Single (song) of The Month artist this month, and if you have not heard of her, you will. As “Every Man” as the music industry is nowadays, there is still a top echelon and the cream still rises. The writing here and the performance here is all simply way too good to go unnoticed - which explains the high, and exponentially growing, demand for her live performances. There is something special about this artist, and the truth will out.
The Song of The Month is I Never Learn, a gem among many on Oklahoma Lottery, Karen’s debut album. But the Song of The Month probably should have be Oklahoma Lottery, the title track. Jesus! Jonas wrote a four minuet version of Grapes of Wrath. When you listen to this song you will feel the same things Steinbeck made you feel. If you’re not a reader, screw it, just listen to this song. If you feel despair, then you’re human.
Jonas makes you feel human a lot on this album; lyrically the word vivid jumps to mind. She’s detailed and she’s not afraid to take her cloths off, tell you she did, sleep around a bit, be the adulteress, get dressed and then clean up the mess. All the while you might feel chronologically challenged. I felt the 1920s, 30s, 50s, and then a blurry smudge of 70s to present - which may aptly describe current America and thus Americana music anyway.
Her word choice, her phrasing, her turn of phrase, her subject matter, her honesty, her vulnerability, her voice, her soto voce, her power and her monumental dedication to craft and calling make this woman a stellar artist. Oklahoma Lottery is a genius album.
Further evidence of her genius was hooking up with music partner Tim Bray. When it comes to lonesome, Western, reverb soaked, whammy bar, Orange Gretch guitar, Bray is the best in the land. No Kidding, I’d put him up against anyone when it comes to tasty, Gretch through a Fender licks. Jonas’s songs are great on there own, like grilled meat, but the flavor Bray adds is why you never have BBQ without sauce. And they outta bottle his sauce.
Oh yea! the song of the month. Simply put, I Never Learn has all the qualities I spoke of above, so to me it the best representative of a great album. Plus, I consider Jonas a true firebrand and this barn burner song shows it in spades. To the chagrin of her producer she insists on recording truly live. She claw hammers the guitar like a crab in a picking tray. She’s as charming as the snake oil salesmen that could easily populate her songs and as aloof and attractive as a movie star. These are compliments befitting a firebrand, and a unique singwriter™. Please enjoy Karen Jonas and Tim Bray and the amazing music they make.
Karen Jonas is The Single (song) of The Month artist this month, and if you have not heard of her, you will. As “Every Man” as the music industry is nowadays, there is still a top echelon and the cream still rises. The writing here and the performance here is all simply way too good to go unnoticed - which explains the high, and exponentially growing, demand for her live performances. There is something special about this artist, and the truth will out.
The Song of The Month is I Never Learn, a gem among many on Oklahoma Lottery, Karen’s debut album. But the Song of The Month probably should have be Oklahoma Lottery, the title track. Jesus! Jonas wrote a four minuet version of Grapes of Wrath. When you listen to this song you will feel the same things Steinbeck made you feel. If you’re not a reader, screw it, just listen to this song. If you feel despair, then you’re human.
Jonas makes you feel human a lot on this album; lyrically the word vivid jumps to mind. She’s detailed and she’s not afraid to take her cloths off, tell you she did, sleep around a bit, be the adulteress, get dressed and then clean up the mess. All the while you might feel chronologically challenged. I felt the 1920s, 30s, 50s, and then a blurry smudge of 70s to present - which may aptly describe current America and thus Americana music anyway.
Her word choice, her phrasing, her turn of phrase, her subject matter, her honesty, her vulnerability, her voice, her soto voce, her power and her monumental dedication to craft and calling make this woman a stellar artist. Oklahoma Lottery is a genius album.
Further evidence of her genius was hooking up with music partner Tim Bray. When it comes to lonesome, Western, reverb soaked, whammy bar, Orange Gretch guitar, Bray is the best in the land. No Kidding, I’d put him up against anyone when it comes to tasty, Gretch through a Fender licks. Jonas’s songs are great on there own, like grilled meat, but the flavor Bray adds is why you never have BBQ without sauce. And they outta bottle his sauce.
Oh yea! the song of the month. Simply put, I Never Learn has all the qualities I spoke of above, so to me it the best representative of a great album. Plus, I consider Jonas a true firebrand and this barn burner song shows it in spades. To the chagrin of her producer she insists on recording truly live. She claw hammers the guitar like a crab in a picking tray. She’s as charming as the snake oil salesmen that could easily populate her songs and as aloof and attractive as a movie star. These are compliments befitting a firebrand, and a unique singwriter™. Please enjoy Karen Jonas and Tim Bray and the amazing music they make.