Sirens
Artist: DA & The Jones
Label: Riparian
Records
Release Date: March 4, 2014
Duration: 10 tracks, 32:20
After three years of collaboration and one 2013 EP in
Electric Love, Mindy Jones and Daniel Ahearn of DA & The Jones hit the
bulls eye with Sirens. The soft yet strong male tones of Ahearn’s vocals are
the perfect match for the sultry vocal qualities of Jones’. Together their
duets take on a life of their own. Each song’s vocal inflection emphasizes its
storyline. All of this with delicate underlying acoustic-based arrangements
support the collection.
Siren’s collection contains well-written and performed songs
at times a little folky, at times a little country along the popular lines of
The Civil Wars with relationship songs simply and artfully crafted. What stands
on its own are the simplistic and solid compositions accompanying flowing, well
matched duets with the vocals of Jones and Ahearn playing off each other. Beautifully
produced and mixed, simple and easy, each song finds its way into your head
with a familiar personal feeling given the sharp and meaningful lyrics.
The opener, “Sirens”, displays a good duet with an echo affect embracing the lyrics feel. With solid
piano and percussion, this is a great headphone tune! “I Owe You” is a hard-hitting
tune with soft and sensual lyrics and terrific vocal inflection telling its
story. This is nothing if not beautiful in its sincerity. Soft snare brushing
and acoustic guitar picking lay the foundation for the heartfelt story of love
and loss in short-term relationships in the tune “Make It Right”. Note the
delicate sparkling undertones of chimes enhancing the refrain’s harmony.
“Love Lights The Way” is soft and light featuring Jones’ vocals
leaving the haunting remembrance of love’s power. While the percussion and
piano support, the tambourine could easily be softened. Sounding much like the
energy of The Vespers, “Take Me Home” opens to a New Orleans-like drunken
funeral march. Every album needs a break for recall and this is it. Note the echo
chamber effect at song’s end while keeping its memory fresh for the listener.
Minus the one or two country or too-slow tunes, this is a
‘new folk’ hit. Great harmony and duets with simple backing make Sirens one for
the 2014 summer collection.
Scott S Mertens
3.5 tocks
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