There is something old, honest and authentic about the music found on these two tracks that make up Jonivan Jones new offering, something at odds with modern ideas of fame and fortune, of the quick-hit, in-it-for-the-money, style-over-substance attitudes that form today’s music scene. There is also something totally out of vogue with the AI-augmented, talent-free zone of music makers trying to climb the greasy pole of success. And for that I thank him.
This is music made for all the right reasons, and listened to for its connection and narratives, its sense of place and place in history; it speaks to us rather than asking us to like or follow. Not only the right reasons, but the reasons that music was always made, right up until the contemporary musical era.
The title track evokes land and landscape, a sort of timelessness; it blends resonant guitars that briefly glance by cosmic-country’s sense of psychedelia before it heads into a bass-driven time of blues and bluegrass, country-rock and an understated, folky, finessed and fine-tuned past.
‘Desert Surf Blues’ has a more up and at ‘em vibe, is more urgent and energetic, but again woven from only the essentials, the bass providing pulse and beat, acoustic guitars offering driving rhythms as old as the hills and sweet swathes of bluesy and acid-laced electric guitar the only connection to the modern age.
Both songs fit perfectly with this modern movement where everything remotely rootsy delivered by someone wearing a big hat and plaid shirt gets labelled ‘Americana’ while at the same time revealing how mistakenly most of those labels have been applied. This is the real deal.
When it comes to the Americana label, Ozark Moon is the exception that proves the rule.
Website
Facebook
Bandcamp
YouTube
Instagram
