Announcing: Butter, 6.1.18

Butter 12in_cover_hi-res.jpg

(Press Release) Fredericksburg, VA-based country/Americana singer-songwriter Karen Jonas is set to independently release her new album, Butter, on June 1, 2018. With four kids at home and a touring schedule of 150+ shows per year, Jonas has a full plate. “Whether I’m finishing up a gig atmidnight or getting pounced on by my kids at 6:30 a.m., I usually feel like my life is a circus,” she says. “So I started writing songs about my circus.” She shines a light on the triumphs and challenges of that busy life with Butter, which will be available for pre-order beginning April 2nd on Kickstarter (see her website and social media for details).

Butter was tracked at Wally Cleaver’s Recording Studio in her hometown of Fredericksburg, and Jonas would head over to the studio after putting her kids to bed. Tim Bray, her guitarist and musical partner for nearly half a decade, joined her for those nighttime recording sessions, as did a number of other musicians who laced Butter’s ten songs with pedal steel, B3 organ, upright piano, layers of guitar, and vintage-sounding, seven-piece horn arrangements. 

Karen Jonas Photo Credit: Amber Renée Photography 

Produced by Jeff Covert, Jonas, and Bray, Butter mixes the textured twang of Jonas’s folk and country roots — a sound she explored fully on her previous album, 2016’s critically acclaimed Country Songs — with the diverse influences of ragtime, blues, jazz, and barroom soul. It’s her broadest, boldest album to date, with songs that anchor themselves in Southern storytelling and Jonas’s smooth, unforced croon. Butter is a retro-minded album for the modern age — the sound of a songwriter celebrating her circumstances.

“My first two albums featured a lot of heartbroken songs,” she explains. “That didn’t feel authentic for this album. Butter is about my story now, as a working musician and mother — about the challenges of each role and, especially, the challenge of balancing the two. It’s about baking my cake and eating it, too.”

As the album came together, each song took on a life of its own. The title track is a late-night, big-band jazz number, while “My Sweet Arsonist” is a woozy, slow-burning love ballad. “Gospel of the Road” and “Yellow Brick Road” both nod to Tom Petty’s influence, thanks to ringing guitars and heartland rock & roll melodies. “Dance With Me” slows down its tempo to a swinging waltz, while the Beatles-esque “Mr. Wonka” speeds it back up to a surreal circus’s pace. Together, Butter’s songs explore one woman’s story to the tune of a full range of American roots music. 

For Jonas — a full-time musician and full-time mother — the album is a personal anthem. “Butter is about mom doing what she wants to do,” she clarifies. “Sometimes she wants to cook a damn good meal, and sometimes she wants to travel with a kickass country band. Sometimes she wants to do both at the same time, and can’t. But there are a lot of successful, empowered mothers making time to pursue their passions right now, and it’s changing the world.”

Jonas’s intensely personal songwriting first grabbed national attention with the release of her critically acclaimed 2014 debut album Oklahoma Lottery, which was followed by the aforementioned Country Songs in 2016.  In 2017, Jonas was nominated for an Ameripolitan Award in the Honky Tonk Female Category, and the same year, she was given the Readers' Choice Award for Best Local Band/Vocalist by the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. Her music has been lauded around the world.

American Roots UK said of her sophomore album, “Country Songs is a stunning album of great beauty and dynamism that tugs the emotions to just about every point of the compass.” Saving Country Music echoed that sentiment, writing, “Country Songs comes spilling out of her songwriting pen just as fervent and hungry as her first effort, yet with more refined and deliberate results due to the wisdom won through the experience of her debut.” No Depression also heaped similar praise on her second album, writing, “Country Songs wraps fiddle, steel, organ and guitar around inspired storytelling that is all at once insightful, honest, tenacious and vulnerable. Completely avoiding any sophomore slump, Jonas’ Country Songs captures something timeless and special...”

Five years of non-stop touring with her guitarist Bray has produced a smoldering live act that’s left audiences breathless across the country.  As they always do, Jonas and Bray plan to tour heavily in support of Butter.

Interview - Belles and Gals

Interview by Nick Cantwell for Belles and Gals

July 6 2017

I came across Karen Jonas earlier this year when I caught a listen to her second album ‘Country Songs’ and I became an instant fan – it’s easily one of my most listened to albums of the year. So I was absolutely delighted to catch up with Karen for a chat recently.

Hi Karen, can I start the interview by asking about your sophomore album ‘Country Songs’, which came out at the end of last year. You recorded the entire album live – what was the thought process behind that?

We did – both Country Songs and Oklahoma Lottery were recorded live in the studio, without vocal overdubs or studio tricks. We added some additional instrumentation on Country Songs, but the bones are all live. We’ve been playing some 200 shows a year for four years now, so it made sense to us to go straight for it. We also wanted to capture a very non-Nashville country sound, something raw and unfiltered. It’s a statement about what I think country music should be: real and genuine.

After the success of your debut album ‘Oklahama Lottery’ did you feel any sense of pressure when ‘Country Songs’ was released?

I was pleasantly surprised by the success of Oklahoma Lottery. We recorded it in a weekend for our friends and fans here in Virginia, but it received a much broader reception. I felt like we had plenty of ways to improve, both sonically and from a business perspective, and we worked hard to create a more organized and thorough release for Country Songs. We try stay focused on what we can control – that’s enough to worry about!

What I love about the album is the way you change the pace. One moment you’re delivering an emotional, vulnerable number, before moving up the gears and belting out a highly charged intense track. Two good examples are my favourite two songs from the album in ‘Wasting Time’ and ‘The Fair Shake’. I’d love a quick insight into both of these songs.

Thank you! Those are both very honest songs, and actually I wrote them about the same situation. Wasting Time is a sad recounting of unrequited love, and a dedication to something that isn’t working. The Fair Shake was written a few weeks later, in a moment of clarity, when I was reflecting on a bigger picture and the strength of letting go. I am really happy with both of those recordings, I think we were able to capture the true spirit of the songs in a way that supports the story.

Both of your albums have been released independently. I guess this has its advantages and disadvantages?

It sure does! We’ve been finding our way and learning so much. I think if we do eventually partner with a label, our DIY approach will benefit us because we have a pretty good understanding of how things work. Creative control is invaluable and not a sacrifice I’m prepared to make, but there is a machine in place with resources to help us to be heard by a broader audience, and I’m not adverse to tapping into that if the right opportunity presents itself.

 

You collaborate in your music with Tim Bray, who you also tour with. How did the collaboration come about and what gives the partnership that magic?

Tim and I have been playing together for about four years. He came to hear me play at a local venue and we started working together shortly after. We’re also best friends now, which helps immensely when it comes to long car rides, long gigs, and busy schedules. I couldn’t ask for a more supportive, fun, dedicated musical partner.

You recorded ‘Country Songs’ in your home town of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Tell us a little about Fredericksburg and how it has influenced your music?

When I started on the scene here I was more of a folk songwriter. The local bluegrass and country players helped me gain an appreciation for the country sound. Fredericksburg is also an amazingly supportive and growing community, for which I am very grateful.

On the subject of influences, which musicians would you say have had the most effect on your career?

Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan. I love the great songwriters. Paul Simon and Leonard Cohen too. For added twang, I’ve also developed a love for Hank Williams and Dwight Yoakum.

And give us an insight into your song writing process – if you have a set process!

I try not to work too hard at songwriting, a song will waft into my brain and I figure it out and write it down. I enjoy songwriting like a good jigsaw puzzle, all the pieces are there, you just have to put them in order.

I’ve just had a look at your schedule and you are certainly one of the hardest working artists we’ve featured. Does anything beat playing live music? And as a UK based website, please tell us that you’ll come and play over here one day!

We do keep busy, and it beats having a day job! We hope to make a visit to the UK in support of our next album.

To finish, tell us about your plans for the summer and the rest of 2017.

We’ve got a busy schedule into August, then we’ll take September off (maternity leave for me, I’ll be welcoming my fourth baby at the end of August!). We get back to work in October, in the studio and on the road!

Free Lance-Star Readers' Choice Award

So pleased to win the Readers' Choice Award for Best Local Band/Vocalist!

Article by Stephen Hu

The Free Lance-Star

June 23 2017

With a notebook full of thoughtful, catchy tunes and Fredericksburg guitar virtuoso Tim Bray (left) by her side, singer-songwriter Karen Jonas had all the ingredients to become the area’s top singer. But touring, motherhood and songwriting leave little time for her to relax.

With tireless touring and smart writing, Karen Jonas has made a mark on the local scene.

The title of Karen Jonas’s most recent album, “Country Songs,” is kind of ironic since Jonas didn’t gain an appreciation for the genre until relatively recently.

“I liked Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Paul Simon,” said Jonas. “I heard country from the people I ran into and played with and people I’ve dated, which comes out in the title song. Really, I didn’t start listening to country music until recently. I just fell in love with Dwight Yoakam. You really have to get your heart broken before you can appreciate the twangier side of it.”

Along with ’70s singer-songwriters, Jonas’s songs reflect her recent favorites like Justin Townes Earle and Jason Isbell. Like those artists, her lyrics often tell compelling stories like the Steinbeck-inspired “Oklahoma Lottery” or “The Garden,” a southern gothic tune. “Country Songs” is Jonas’s second album, both of which feature her musical collaborator, guitarist Tim Bray. Bray has a range of skills and embraces everything from surf rock to honky-tonk twang to spacey, atmospheric backgrounds. He and Jonas met when he happened to wander into one of her shows at a local venue.

“I was going to hear one of my students play at an FAA show at Market Square on a Thursday night,” said Bray. “It was super hot and the whole thing was running an hour late. I thought there was music at the Kenmore [Inn] so I went to see what was going on there. The first person I saw there was Andrew Hellier who said Karen was playing. I didn’t know who Karen was at all. I thought it was incredible, and I went and told her so. I sent her a Facebook message just to say I like what you’re doing and keep it up.”

That encouraging message on Facebook led to an invitation for Bray to play on Jonas’s first album. She had reached an artistic impasse with those recording sessions and the addition of Bray changed her sound enough that she decided to scrap all previous takes and record new sessions with him. That partnership has proved successful. Although both Karen Jonas albums feature a four- or five-piece band, she and Bray usually play as a duo. People are often surprised at the big sound the two of them can create on stage.

“A lot of people comment, ‘we thought it was going to be this little folky thing and it was a big sound covering a lot of ground,’ ” said Bray. “We opened for Alabama and two roadies and a sound guy said, ‘holy cow, I can’t believe you guys are doing this as a two piece.’ ”

“This is the style of stuff that he loves to play,” said Jonas. “He provides an ear to listen or helps me if I’m thinking through something without trying to stomp all over it.”

Jonas and Bray have played gigs near and far, mostly sticking to the East Coast. They are one of the hardest working bands in Fredericksburg, keeping up a grueling schedule that had them playing over 250 shows last year. That persistence has earned them a loyal following. Fans made them the winner of The Free Lance—Star’s reader poll for Best Local Band/Vocalist, an honor which delighted Jonas.

“Our music travels around the world and we’re always so proud to call Fredericksburg home,” she said. “We couldn’t ask for a more supportive community. Thanks for listening!”

Jonas is continually collecting ideas for new songs.

“I write a lot of material and it lives in my notebook until I need it,” said Jonas. “I write stuff and don’t really focus on it until it’s time for it to have a life outside of my notebook.”

With the long time between recording and releasing her music, Karen Jonas has already written at least one album worth of new material since “Country Songs” came out last year. Her fans are waiting to hear where her creative muse takes her next.

American Roots UK

American Roots UK - 3.7.17

  I always look for the positives in the huge amount of music I listen to, despite positivity sometimes being something that can be a struggle to find very much of. From the very first listen this superb recording struck me as being something very, very special, a feeling that continues to grow, with Karen having that rare ability to create so much more with her tremendous songs and vocal nuances than most others can ever hope to achieve with all of Nashville's resources.
            Some of the songs on this, Karen's sophomore album 'Country Songs,' have a brooding, slightly disquieting atmosphere, or perhaps that should read as having a realistic sense of drama. This is partly due to the arrangement of instruments but predominately down to the control and immersion of Karen's vocals in her tremendous stories. At times she exhibits a soft, vulnerable sensitivity and at others a sparky, perhaps even fiery, strength of character that defies anyone to mess with her, whilst the centre ground leads the way for the 'country pop,' that inhabits the charts, to follow in her wake. This recording alone is proof beyond doubt that if you have the talent it is possible to  make edgy highly individual country music that appeals to lovers of the outer boundaries of country music whilst having the gorgeous melodicism that should and in all probability will appeal to followers of the mainstream.
            Stylistically, this album includes what has become known as 'classic country;' that is the style made famous in the 1950s and 60s, but whereas much of that was smooth and sanitized Karen has replaced that smoothness with a lovely edgy sound that includes only the necessary instrumentation and no orchestral string sections, all of which would have pushed her beautiful vocals deeper into the mix and probably eased the album down into the pack. There is also the sound of Bakersfield 'honky tonks' a similar style but one that started off without any smooth edges and continues that way to this day. This is where her beautiful 'sassy' voice comes to the fore and there is always a detectable note of alt. country, virtually indefinable but there none the less. When we get to the albums ballads, all I can really say is that there are no finer female balladeers than Karen, with her ability to switch between a powerful sassiness and a hugely appealing vulnerability providing the icing on the cake of her incredible vocal dexterity.
            These twelve beautifully written and performed songs are built upon the foundation of the sublime lead guitar playing and the varied textures found within, of Tim Bray. The most powerful and dominant instrument on the album, with the exception of Karen's vocals, but part of the man's incredible skill is his ability to know when to hold back and when to drive his sound on and make tonal changes. Whilst I think Karen could have made a great album without Tim's work, he is certainly another vital layer of icing on the cake, knowing instinctively when to stick and when to go for it on an album that includes some great playing from all concerned.
            There is plenty of twangy electric guitar, percussion, bass, steel guitar and fiddle, no big over blown production, just the beautiful vocals and a fairly sparse instrumentation, although perhaps 'uncluttered' would be a better description of a production that only includes whatever is necessary to get the best out of each song rather than anything that follows a contemporary pattern.  The atmosphere created is such that a big production couldn't even get close to matching what can be heard here as the contemporaneous all disappear into the oblivion of the country formula.
            Album opener and title track, Country songs is a perfect summation of what is to follow. Tim's twangy guitar along with the fiddle, bass, steel guitar and a little percussion get a contemporary country song off to an excellent 'honky tonk' start but when Karen's, beautiful, hugely evocative vocal comes in you just know this is going to be something special. It really is the ideal opener because its title alone lets you know what is going to follow, although this is no mere 'country album' but an album of 'real country music' with all of the variety of qualities that title entails. Karen's vocal contains power, dynamism, raunchiness, vulnerability and tenderness all in the space of just five beautiful minutes, in other words a perfect start. It is followed by Keep your hands to yourself, hard driving country at its best, with Tim Bray's dynamic guitar playing soon joined by Karen's sassy vocal on a break up song on which she is anything but a helpless victim. The bass and percussion drive things along with occasional steel guitar but the dominant instrument, apart from Karen's beautiful vocals, is Tim's tremendous guitar sound. Final mention has to be of one of the beautiful ballads, Wasting time, with percussion providing the intro along with Karen's vocal, soon joined by keyboards and guitar on a slow moody tale on which her voice ranges between a breathy gentle tone to a much more fiery sound as befits the depth of the conversation being portrayed. The lovely weeping steel guitar deepens the emotional atmosphere as the arrangement gradually becomes more dense eventually bringing the song to its conclusion.
            'Country' music albums really don't get much better than this stunning recording. Everything about it oozes quality of the highest order and Karen Jonas is a completely unique singer songwriter for whom super stardom surely beckons. She is a lady who as a vocalist is a match and then some for anyone out there, her songs are excellent and the arrangements and production really couldn't be improved upon. If there is even a miniscule fault in this or, for that matter, her debut album, I've yet to find it and I don't suppose anyone else has or will either! 'Country Songs' is a stunning album of great beauty and dynamism that tugs the emotions to just about every point of the compass!

Penny Black Music UK

Benjamin Howarth for Penny Black Music UK

2.25.17

 

Ah, January. The most hated month, especially for music fans, who won’t see the release schedule hot up until at least the middle of February. Too often, it’s a month wasted listening to the ‘hot tips’ irrational critics will pretend to have no recollection of by the time the festival season rolls around. 

A better time would be had by rounding up the music missed from the year before. Such as ‘Country Songs’, the second album from Karen Jonas, which has been on sale since October, and yet – as far as I can tell – did not trouble any of the ‘album of the year’ polls. It takes only a cursory listen to this record to realise that the critics have made a major oversight. ‘Country Songs’ represents the declaration of a serious talent. 

Although it is Karen Jonas’ name on the cover, this is a genuine collaboration between the singer-songwriter on acoustic guitar and lead-guitarist Tim Bray, whose electrifying guitar solos add gravitas to a collection of enthralling songs. Having met only a short while before Bray helped Jonas record her first record, they have since consistently performed as a duo. They make an ideal match – Bray’s vintage Gretsch sound would make even an ordinary song sound a bit special, but he deserves to work with a special songwriter, and that’s what Jonas is. 

No better is this illustrated than on the album’s centrepiece, ‘Wasting Time’, where Jonas makes a successful pitch at a country standard for the ages and then Bray ensures it’ll get the attention it deserves with the album’s finest guitar solo. Elsewhere, Bray concentrates on an authentic twang that roots Jonas’ songs firmly into the great American songbook. 

The notes that accompany this album emphasise its essential modesty – a local band writing songs in a living room and recording them live in the studio. But, in actual fact, they have nothing to be modest about. And, while they may ‘only’ be backed by local musicians, everyone involved appears to be ensuring this release stands as the key witness statement in Fredericksburg, Virginia’s application for promotion to the top division of music towns.  

Everything they try works. When the song needs a big chorus, Jonas finds one. If it needs a killer solo, Bray steps up. Most importantly, when the songs need a good punchline, Jonas finds a great one. ‘Wandering Heart’ finds Jonas warning her on-the-road husband that she has a “wandering heart while you’ve got wandering feet”. 

'Country Songs' is a slightly tongue-in-cheek ballad with a first rate joke about Dwight Yoakam’s jeans that I won’t spoil by repeating here. 

It’s worth emphasising that this is a record entirely unapologetic about aiming squarely for a classic country sound (if you’re really after an indie band with a bit of pedal-steel, this won’t be for you). But, having pitched her tent firmly in a traditional field, Jonas then pulls out all the stops to make the music defiantly her own. 

The record ends with Jonas finishing a take and saying, "I kinda liked it." You will too.

Americana-UK

Karen Jonas’s intensely personal songwriting first grabbed international attention with the release of her critically acclaimed 2014 debut album Oklahoma Lottery. Three years of non-stop touring with her guitarist Tim Bray have produced a smoldering live act that’s left audiences breathless across America, culminating in their much-anticipated sophomore release. Country Songs is a refreshing mix of classic sounds with new, head-turning country swagger.

Can you tell us about yourself? Where you’re from and what you’ve been up to over the past few years?

Greetings from Fredericksburg Va! I’m a rockstar by night (well, a country singer/songwriter at least), and mother of three by day. I’m an all-systems-go full-time busy lady, but I can also take a nap like a champion when I get the chance.

It’s been a busy few years for me – I’ve proudly birthed two albums and a baby, all while playing 200+ shows each year. Three years ago I partnered up with musical and organizational genius Tim Bray, and we’ve been non-stop recording and touring and just generally having a time ever since.

How would you describe your music?

We play alt-country/americana music, maybe with a dash of folk and a little bit of rock’n’roll. You can call it whatever you’d like though, I’m not a stickler for labels.

Can you tell us a little bit about your influences?

I’m a songwriter at heart, and my greatest influences come from the likes of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Paul Simon, and Bob Dylan (I call him Robby Z). They aren’t just songwriters, they’re great expansive thinkers. I picked up some twang more recently, by way of classics like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. Oh and Dwight Yoakam. And his jeans. And that dance he does.

What are you currently promoting?

Our sophomore album, Country Songs! The title track is a song about learning to appreciate Country music after getting your heart broken. But as an album title, it’s also a challenge to a changing definition of Country music. We have some really bad pop Country here in America (maybe you do too), which makes me hesitant to tell people that we play Country music. But, to me, these ten songs are real Country Songs.

Have you got a particular song you’ve done that you’re particularly proud of, one that might define you?

Every song I write feels like it might define a little moment in my history. Lately I’ve been thinking of the title track of my 2014 album, Oklahoma Lottery.  It’s a song about the Dust Bowl, the great American environmental disaster that coincided with the Great Depression, but it’s also about uncertainty and leaving a broken home you once knew and loved. I wrote it about a divorce, but today it feels right for our current state of political upheaval.

What are you currently listening to?

Christmas music! There’s something so comfortable about Christmas music, and its fun to share the enthusiasm with my kids.

And your favourite album of all time, the one you couldn’t do without?

Can I have two? Joni Mitchell’s “Miles of Aisles” and Paul Simon’s “Graceland” both changed my life and formed my concept of songwriting. When I was 16 my dad played Miles of Aisles for me. I had a major “a ha” moment and realized that I wanted to become a professional singer/songwriter. So I did.

What are your hopes for your future career?

I try to focus on things that I can control – so I hope to keep writing, recording, and releasing inspired albums. I’ll keep building my networks and connecting with people – and I’ll leave the rest to luck and fate and the fickle Gods of the music industry.

If money were no object what would be your dream project?

A thoroughly planned, well recorded, professionally promoted record with a hefty budget of time and money would be pretty dreamy!

What’s the best thing about being a musician?

I get to express myself for a living – that’s hard to beat. Good food and drink, nice people, and dressing up is fun too. Getting to work with awesome, funny, super-talented musicians (like my most best friend and guitarist Tim Bray) makes it even better.

And the worst?

Sometimes we play for bars where people aren’t really focused on the music. Sometimes people don’t like what we do. But, I learned long ago that not everyone will like me or my music. And there’s something really satisfying about putting it out there, keeping my head up, and not giving a damm.

Finally, have you anything you’d like to say to the readers of Americana UK?

Hello! And thank you for giving my take on Country music a listen. We hope to see you all soon.

Belles and Gals Review

By Nick Cantwell

A couple of weeks ago we featured Karen Jonas on the site for the first time with the fantastic ‘Wasting Time’ and having listened to her album ‘Country Songs’ on the back of it, I just knew I had to write a review.

This is Karen’s second release, after her debut album ‘Oklahoma Lottery’ in 2014. After some research, it appears her debut album caused quite a stir upon release and after writing this review the first thing I’ll be doing is to have a listen. But for now I’ll focus on ‘Country Songs’.

The album opens up with the title track where she thanks another ‘for teaching me to love country songs, for making me so sad I want to sing along’. As an opening track it is just perfect and despite the five minute length, this upbeat number almost seems to end too soon.  The song has an endearing tongue-in-cheek sense of humour as well, which will certainly put a smile on your face.

The album is 10 songs long and there is just highlight after highlight. ‘Ophelia’ sees the singer telling the title character to take a deep breath and not let her man make her crazy. I love the way she sings this, really showing great character in the vocals as she is ‘demanding’ of Ophelia in her performance.

‘The Garden’ is a beautiful, almost haunting number which looks back at a relationship twenty years before. This song has everything – great lyrics, amazing vocals and a rocking guitar solo . The song is the third on the album, but my initial thought was that it would make a perfect closing track. That was before I heard the actual closing track  ‘Yankee Doodle Went Home’ however. This is a wonderful tale of the bad luck that befalls Yankee Doodle, although it seems there is a much deeper meaning behind the song than just the tales of bad fortune.

For me, there are two particular tracks that stand out. ‘Wasting Time’ is the first of these. This is a stunning song which should be on every best of 2016 playlist, although having only really listened to it recently, it will certainly make my best of 2017 list too. The song has a breathless nature, where Karen Jonas sings about holding on to a love, when she knows she is indeed wasting time.  Click play on the YouTube clip below and if you don’t fall in love with this song I’d be very surprised…

The other highlight for me is ‘The Fair Shake’. I’m yet to listen to ‘Country Songs’ without hitting the repeat button at least once at the end of this song. For me this song has everything. Throughout the album, Jonas does an amazing job of raising the emotion using passionate, ardent vocals, and she does this brilliantly here. The song has a ‘life isn’t fair, but accept it’ message and there is not a moment of the song that I don’t love. The ending is just perfect too.

‘Country Songs’ is an album to savour. It will grab you the first time you listen to it, but it gets better and better with every subsequent listen – in fact, somebody at the record company should have put an ‘addiction warning’ on the record. The album was recorded live in the studio and this gives the recording a certain rawness, while the combination of fiddle, steel and organ and Tim Bray’s brilliant lead guitar work add a real sheen to each song. Karen Jonas might not be a name on everybody’s lips right now, but after an album as good as this, it is surely just a matter of time.