Small Town Jones
Album: Freight Ships
Label: At The Helm
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.jimjones.co.uk

Jim 'Small Town' Jones hails from Devon, but this album is steeped in Americana. The link to that genre is unmistakeable, but to these ears the influences coming through are not necessarily the obvious picks. At its most base level this is a fine album, with a talented songwriter delivering the goods. For me though two particular things raise this above some of its potential competitors.

Jim's vocal delivery and range across the album, although subtly done, draws you in, heightening the emotion of the tunes. Opening track Waves, has a cracked drawl reminiscent of Dinosaur JR's J.Masics and the almost whispered beauty of tracks such as Oxygen or Red are not a million miles away from Kurt Cobain on Nirvana's Something In The Way. Even on the more traditional sounding ballad Things that we don't need to say the fragility and pitch of Jim's vocal makes you wonder if he is going to make it through the recording - he does and it turns out to be a perfect foil to support the sentiment of the song.

I said there were two things and the second is the amazing guitar playing of David Little. Again, something interesting is happening on every tune here. Waves has many beautiful moments and fittingly ends in whistling sonic wizardry as the drums play a march. The guitar hook on Big Screen Reality is brilliant, but used sparingly, making you long for it to make another appearance - this song is on one if the album's standout moments. Another wonderful moment is when the guitar solo ignites Oxygen. It's a combustible mix but works perfectly.

Getting to know Freight ships has been a very pleasurable experience. From its roots in Devon through its recording in Texas, Small Town Jones have honed their skills as songwriters, singers and musicians to produce a thoroughly enjoyable but also rewarding listen. Recommended.

Freight ships is the first release on Brighton based label At The Helm

JC Verrall
http://someofitistrue.com/