Miriam Jones - Reach For The Morning (Album Review)
Back in 2015, Miriam Jones was treading the well-worn path of the folky singer/songwriter. Her Simon Edwards (Fairground Attraction) produced album ‘Between Green and Gone' was acoustic-based but recorded with a full band and received radio support from Bob Harris and Robert Elms. An impressive record, it looked like we would be seeing a lot of Miriam but the Canadian native slipped off the radar (well, my radar anyway) until recently when she reappeared with new music that showed a marked evolution in her sound.
‘Reach For The Morning’ feels like a deeply personal record. Recorded in Miriam’s pop-up basement studio in Canada during the lockdown ‘Reach’ is the epitome of a solo record as Miriam (bar the odd handclap and a little bit of percussion) played every instrument on the record with electric guitar, perhaps surprisingly, chosen as the primary instrument. This approach gives the album a rootsy, bluesy feel that is quite understated and solemn in keeping with the exploration of faith at the heart of the record. To be honest, this solemnity might push people away from a body of work that should be approached with an open mind. ‘Reach For The Morning’ isn’t the sorta record you invite your friends over and play at a party, but if you’re feeling contemplative, light a candle and go with it.
The album opens with a striking rendition of Lionel Bart’s ‘Who Will Buy?’, which fans of musical theatre, and the original tune from the musical ‘Oliver!’, might barely recognise. Jones utilises electric guitar, light percussion and the odd keyboard smudge to strip the song back to its roots while delivering an impressive vocal that takes Bart’s words on a bluesy journey that is more deep dark woods than London square. This unlikely choice of cover sets the tone for the album (if you've not heard it, the Nancy Sinatra version is also well worth a spin).
Throughout the record, Miriam cleverly weaves well-chosen covers and traditional music with her own compositions and it’s a credit to her songwriting that her material not only bears comparison with the likes of Dylan but, in many cases, stands out as superior. The Dylan track is ‘Lord Protect My Child’ (originally an outtake from the Infidels sessions) and popularised by Susan Tedeschi, but, to be honest, Jones totally owns the song thanks to the combination of ringing guitar and her superb bluesy vocal phrasing. Jones’ impressive voice enables her to perform inspirational versions of Christian hymns that have evolved into folk songs over the years such as Lowry’s ‘How Can I Keep From Singing?’ and Elisha A Hoffman’s poem ‘Glory To His Name’ which concludes the record.
As I said earlier, Jones’ original compositions stand tall in good company. Impressively nuanced slide guitar and Hamilton Lee’s carefully placed drum fills underpin ‘Friend and Fire’, a lovely harmony vocal arrangement enhances the deceptively simple ‘Rescue You’ while, an album highlight, ‘Room In My House’ Miriam sums up as “What good is it to live in comfort if we are inhospitable with our lives?”. The standard doesn’t slip on side two as the percussion-driven title track, the haunting ‘Red Wing’ and, once again, the backing vocal arrangement on ‘Down From There’ coupled with Jones’ impressive vocal range and phrasing keep things interesting. Jones could sing the phone book and you’d want to stay ‘till Z.
‘Reach For The Morning’ feels like a record recorded in solitude during the lockdown. Although rooted in the Christian faith, which might, I appreciate, be an issue for some listeners, Miriam Jones has constructed an album that is obviously incredibly important to her and she is to be applauded for her focus and tenacity. I think Miriam sums it up quite nicely "Maybe it was the lockdowns, the oppressive forces of all kinds bearing down, or maybe it was simply within the natural flow of where I was at in myself, but I sure was hell-bent on making this thing. It's been a huge accomplishment personally to me, like slaying a Giant with a sling and 5 smooth stones”.
A new name to me, but based on the new EP, ‘Tigers in Your Backyard (Nocturnal Edition)’, Molly Murphy is one to watch. Initially, Molly embarked on a promising college career as a double Film and English Major pursuing a career in screenwriting but left all that behind to form a band (as you do). Murphy’s latest release finds the singer-songwriter adding a modern sheen to her traditional Celtic roots.