Budding folk rock star Ian Jones may have worked on this latest batch of music in SoCal after being based in Seattle, but its Americana roots and optimistic narratives make it the epitome of ‘southern comfort.’
We are officially one month into autumn, the season that relishes in warm cups of tea, cable knit sweaters, and brisk walks atop crunchy leaves. While this is the sort of north eastern, TV movie style, Gilmore Girls-esque picture painted about fall, it’s a reality for some and a mindset for even more. This idea of coziness and warmth, friendship and togetherness, holidays and giving, is engrained in the season within every media release, every trip to the pumpkin patch, and every apple picked.
Similarly, comfort is all encompassing when it comes to Evergreens, the forthcoming Ian Jones EP. (Luckily, forthcoming only means 48 hours from now, as the record drops on Friday, October 22. Saying that this is perfect timing for this specific six-song album is an understatement.) Jones crafted a cohesive piece of art riddled in mutual, emotional understanding and catharsis.
Art is subjective – that’s a fact. Music is expression – that’s also a fact. Ian Jones’ artistic approach to lyricism and knack for glittery, country-tinged guitar riffs is for everyone, though. He represents something more than himself and that is how life is short and beautiful; not everything has to lean harshly one way or the other.
Every moment is worthy and every opinion is valid, so no matter how strong your feelings are on just about anything, the most generalized, simplified, and heartfelt music can bring you solace… now more than ever. Just one listen to “Born Again Sinner” or “Promised Land” and you will find that.
The singer-songwriter nails the hopeful and homegrown sights and sounds of classic Americana music. Sprightly, albeit somber, Ian Jones croons above his tickled acoustic guitar in an evocative manner that comes solely from his honest heart. Little to no fanfare is experienced on this EP, and whether or not that’s because it isn’t quite a full-length record or because the musician is merely a crafty indie star, it’s appreciated. Evergreens needed nothing more than soulful songwriting and straightforward musicianship to come across as the pinnacle of seasonal perfection.
Jones’ choice of title alone fits the effortless, relatable, personal, and pleasurable aura that the album has. In journalism, among other mediums, evergreen means that something is not time sensitive and can be honed in on and shared at any time. That is Evergreens. Sure, the title track brings on this homely and earthy feeling of trees, nature, and openness, but conceptually, the album as a whole is evergreen. Each one of these songs fits the autumn, leaves-changing-color bill, but each one still has this evident undertone of that aforementioned comfort that makes it just as sweet to have wrapped around you in the darkest nights of December or the coolest mornings of early spring – much like your favorite blanket.
IAN JONES’ NEW EP, EVERGREENS, DROPS THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22!
