ALBUM PREMIERE/INTERVIEW: Karen Jonas Takes a Wide-Ranging Approach to Country on ‘Lucky, Revisted’

Lucky, Revisited is the fourth studio album from Fredericksburg, VA artist Karen Jonas and it’s out this Friday, July 19th. Built from a collection of nine songs released on her first three albums and two stellar covers, Lucky, Revisited is an action-packed overview of Jonas’s finest songwriting. Five years of nonstop touring with guitarist Tim Bray brings an easy but road-hardened chemistry, laser-sharp dynamics, and intricate arrangements to the table. Bray’s dazzling contributions shine like never before, showcased prominently in every song. Engineer/bassist E.P Jackson stood back, capturing and supporting the unfettered performances of Jonas and Bray without interfering.

Jonas was a featured showcasing artist at SXSW in 2019 and was named “Best Americana/Country Artist” by the Washington Area Music Awards. Each of her three previous albums have garnered international acclaim and charted on both the US and UK Americana charts. She has shared stages with Dale Watson, Alabama, Joe Ely, Bob Schneider, The Lone Bellow, Brandy Clark, Robert Earl Keen, Josh Morningstar, and Amanda Shires—lighting up venues around the country from intimate house concerts and listening rooms to rowdy honky-tonks and outdoor festivals.

Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive early listen of the album. Kicking off with the the quick-tempo, chicken-picked guitar tune, Jonas immediately gets you in the mood to dance along to her unique brand of country music. From there she takes on a tour of her own approach and love of country music, from the honky tonk take on Hank Williams’s “Lovesick Blues” and aptly titled “Country Songs” to the folkier, whispery “Oklahoma Lottery”, the defiant and old timey “Lucky”, the slinky and jazzy “Butter”, and heartfelt Americana of “Wasting Time”. Songs like “Money” are fast and playful, with plenty of guitar prowess on display before Jonas closes with an emotionally poignant ode to touring and lost love on “Gospel of the Road”. Across the album’s eleven tracks with find that Jonas is as diverse of a songwriter as she is a vocalist, capable of writing serious ballads while also writing rowdy songs about having a good time. 

Listen to the album and read our quick interview with Jonas below…

Was there an “aha” moment when you decided to do this album?

I was standing at the merch table after a show and someone asked to buy the album that sounded most like our live show. I realized that none of our previous albums sound quite like the live shows we’ve played over 150 times a year for the past 5+ years. That started to sit heavy on my brain. We had just released our third album, Butter, and we didn’t have a lot of money to spend, but I wrote Tim Bray, my creative partner and bandmate, this letter and said, “Tim I’m really sorry but we need to make another album real quick.” As he always does, he said, “Sure, what can I do to make it happen?” So now, just a year after Butter, we are releasing Lucky, Revisited.

Tell us about why you wanted to revisit songs from past albums. Why did you want to do this?

The studio is a very different creative environment from the stage. The studio feels introspective and serious, to me. The stage feels energetic and spontaneous. After these songs from our past albums spent so many hours on stage, I wanted to capture their growth. Because I love these songs, as they are today.

How did you choose the songs of yours you wanted to include? How did you choose the covers?

I wanted to include some of the songs that we play at nearly every show. The covers are show favorites, too. The Bob Dylan tune represents my folk/songwriter roots, and the “Lovesick Blues” is a bit of the classic country we’ve embraced at our shows.

Do you think this album is a good representation of your live sound? How so?

The album is a great representation of our live sound – we made it for exactly that reason! I hope y’all love it and come see us at a show soon.

What’s next for Karen Jonas?

We’ve got a busy summer planned, be sure to check the schedule for album release shows. And, we’ll get straight to work on an album of new music that I can’t wait for you to hear.

http://www.karenjonasmusic.com/

PhotoCredit-AmberReneePhotography.

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