2020 was set to be a breakout year for Karen Jonas in the UK as she was scheduled to finally play some shows after a succession of album releases. Sadly this was not to be as artists sought other ways of bringing music to fans to combat the enforced surroundings of an industry choked from direct interaction. The saving grace is that this trip has been re-scheduled for 2021 with the added bonus of the new album being well bedded in by then. Not that Jonas has been light on the album release front with THE SOUTHWEST SKY AND OTHER DREAMS being her fifth full length record in six years. If you've enjoyed her music in the past, then the direction of the new record is likely to whet the appetite, On the other hand, any new discovery of Karen Jonas via this release will slot in at an exceedingly high standard.
The last three albums, COUNTRY SONG (2016), BUTTER (2018) and LUCKY, REVISITED (2019) all accrued positive reception and the main conclusion from her latest offering is that Jonas has significantly moved the dial forward. In line with the earlier records, this one instantly falls into the interesting category as the album never quite advances as you think it is going to. Jonas has all the trappings of pure country gold, but never goes down the conventional route of executing a straight up no holds barred country record. THE SOUTHWEST SKY AND OTHER DREAMS is packed full of classic road trip tales mixing real experience with creative character-themed story telling, while housing a sound decked in iconic twang and a voice dripping in lived-in emotion.
Like the title indicates, this is a journey venturing a couple of thousand miles west from Jonas' Virginia home and at times the soundtrack engulfs the feel of the border and the dusty expanses of the desert. The sound is hardly in smooth territory, more jagged and in tune with the rugged landscape. The style flickers around the edges of real deal country and is not afraid to dip into outlaw territory where Ameripolitan merges unrefined twang with the steady beat of old time R 'n' B.
The highlights range from the fabulously narrated nostalgia piece 'The Last Cowboy (at the Bowling Alley)', through the waltz-infused 'Out in Palm Tree Paradise' to the beat enthralling rhythmic vibes of 'Pink Leather Boots' and 'Be Sweet to Me', the latter pair oozing with Memphis class. 'Farmer John' prowls menacingly across the airwaves, while the thoughtful and more pedestrian 'Maybe You'd Hear Me Then' houses the album's title in a line within the first verse and like a continual theme across the record you are lured into the storytelling world of Karen Jonas. This forever compels you to hang onto every tale or recollection from a time on the road.
The final three tracks of this ten-song collection demonstrate the album's versatility by adopting varying sonic stances to steer clear of predictability. It is facets like these that define a Karen Jonas album as not quite unravelling as you expect it to do.
Like many good albums, there is an abundance of engaging songs that will far outlast the release period. Be prepared to periodically dip back into THE SOUTHWEST SKY AND OTHER DREAMS as Karen Jonas continues to liberally sprinkle her records with ever inventive nooks and crannies to explore her take on western roots music.