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The Hills of Arkansas Review
"The Hills of Arkansas" is an exemplary piece of country songwriting that not only contains oodles of charm and plenty of that bluegrass swagger but also offers audiences an authentic southern flavored listening experience that feels wholesome, good-natured, and sincerely humble.
Robert Jones has done a wonderful job of painting a vivid picture of Arkansas through some truly brilliant lyrics, the sights and sounds of the state have been lovingly captured and detailed and this acute attention to detail really helps transport listeners to the forever intriguing world of the American south. This is very much a song about roots, and how despite where we might find ourselves throughout our lives, one thing for most people will be certain, and that is that home will always be calling to us. Jones deals with this theme in both a touching and uplifting way, and when combined with the excellent vocal performance, the results are something special and ensure the track is full of character and personality. It's interesting that even though this would be classed as a rather short track, it feels fully fleshed out, managing to achieve in its short runtime what many songs struggle to do in double the length. This is a testament to how well the arrangement works, it's concise, to the point, and is able to convey all its ideas in a cohesive way that allows the track to flow brilliantly from start to finish.
Review provided by:
RadioAirplay.com
--About The Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K.
Robert Jones has done a wonderful job of painting a vivid picture of Arkansas through some truly brilliant lyrics, the sights and sounds of the state have been lovingly captured and detailed and this acute attention to detail really helps transport listeners to the forever intriguing world of the American south. This is very much a song about roots, and how despite where we might find ourselves throughout our lives, one thing for most people will be certain, and that is that home will always be calling to us. Jones deals with this theme in both a touching and uplifting way, and when combined with the excellent vocal performance, the results are something special and ensure the track is full of character and personality. It's interesting that even though this would be classed as a rather short track, it feels fully fleshed out, managing to achieve in its short runtime what many songs struggle to do in double the length. This is a testament to how well the arrangement works, it's concise, to the point, and is able to convey all its ideas in a cohesive way that allows the track to flow brilliantly from start to finish.
Review provided by:
RadioAirplay.com
--About The Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K.
All Dogs Go to Heaven Review
Overall Impression: Arkansas based singer/songwriter Robert E. Jones delivers a tender folk ballad with his release of "All Dogs Go To Heaven", a heart-wrenching tale of processing the grief that stems from losing a beloved animal companion. Jones' vocal comes across with honesty and sweetness, accompanied by an incredibly tasteful arrangement that features delicately finger-picked acoustic guitar, sparkling piano, and slight percussion. Occasional female vocal harmonies and gorgeous strings provide further support and add subtle embellishment, completely drawing the listener in. One can not help but be moved by Jones' "All Dogs Go To Heaven", a stirring and engaging track that should resonate across an extensive audience, thanks to Jones' expert craftsmanship and a touching, universal theme.
Strongest Points: Outstanding production, excellent mix. Great tonal balance and use of stereo width. Brilliant arrangement. Guitar sounds fantastic, with a nice light touch. The sparse percussion suits the song well. The piano, dobro, and strings all add wonderful color and fill out the arrangement nicely. Vocal sounds amazing; excellent clarity and tone, as well as an innately musical phrasing that's in the vein of a Willie Nelson-type vocal. Good harmonic contrast between the verse and chorus, while still being complimentary. This song even has practical educational applications, possibly helping young children comprehend and process loss in a healthy and natural manner. All in all, it's a tremendous song and a terrific track that was a bittersweet joy to review. Phenomenal job by everyone involved.
Target Audience Appeal: Fans of Singer/Songwriter, Folk, Contemporary Folk, Country, Contemporary Country
Artist target suggestions: James Taylor, John Michael Montgomery, John Prine, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Vince Gill, John Denver, Jackson Browne, Don McLean, Christopher Cross, Harry Chapin, Willie Nelson, Kenny Loggins, Clay Walker
Area(s) of Improvement: Not much I can say here. Great song, great arrangement, great performances, great production!
About The Reviewer: Steven Azami is a multi-instrumentalist with over 25 years of experience in the music industry. Both as a touring/session player and as a producer, his career has spanned nearly every genre, from bluegrass to jazz, from rock to reggae. In addition, his work as a music educator has allowed him to cultivate and foster talent among the next generation of musical explorers.
Strongest Points: Outstanding production, excellent mix. Great tonal balance and use of stereo width. Brilliant arrangement. Guitar sounds fantastic, with a nice light touch. The sparse percussion suits the song well. The piano, dobro, and strings all add wonderful color and fill out the arrangement nicely. Vocal sounds amazing; excellent clarity and tone, as well as an innately musical phrasing that's in the vein of a Willie Nelson-type vocal. Good harmonic contrast between the verse and chorus, while still being complimentary. This song even has practical educational applications, possibly helping young children comprehend and process loss in a healthy and natural manner. All in all, it's a tremendous song and a terrific track that was a bittersweet joy to review. Phenomenal job by everyone involved.
Target Audience Appeal: Fans of Singer/Songwriter, Folk, Contemporary Folk, Country, Contemporary Country
Artist target suggestions: James Taylor, John Michael Montgomery, John Prine, Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Vince Gill, John Denver, Jackson Browne, Don McLean, Christopher Cross, Harry Chapin, Willie Nelson, Kenny Loggins, Clay Walker
Area(s) of Improvement: Not much I can say here. Great song, great arrangement, great performances, great production!
About The Reviewer: Steven Azami is a multi-instrumentalist with over 25 years of experience in the music industry. Both as a touring/session player and as a producer, his career has spanned nearly every genre, from bluegrass to jazz, from rock to reggae. In addition, his work as a music educator has allowed him to cultivate and foster talent among the next generation of musical explorers.
Grandpa Joe Played The Mandolin Review
Overall Impression:
Having had the great pleasure of reviewing a previous track by the splendidly amiable country-bluegrass wizard Robert E. Jones, I very much looked forward to diving into "Grandpa Joe Played the Mandolin", I mean, if a title such as that doesn't evoke feelings wonderfully upbeat and welcoming, I really don't know what will. All the elements that I found terrifically engaging in previous Robert E. Jones tunes are thankfully present and once again, perfectly implemented. The charming fiddle flourishes, the pleasant rhythmic bounce of the banjo, the sweet yet reflective nature that gently underpins the lyrics, each and every element is working in perfect harmony with one another in order to give listeners a country experience that they will most certainly want to come back to time after time. All this is made even more effective by having all these wonderful elements nicely wrapped up in a richly detailed recording that boasts both great warmth and clarity.
Strongest Point(s):
There's a fantastic amount of interplay within the arrangement that really brings the music vividly to life. The way in the various engaging melodies energetically bounce off one another really helps give the song its sense of vigor, like the way the fiddle is fantastically interspersed between certain phrases of the lyrics or the way the backing vocals jump in and out to accompany the lead vocals, there's a spontaneity to the music that as a listener you can't help but get positively pulled in by. Robert E. Jones is a natural storyteller and each and every one of his songs paints a vivid picture that poignantly details his experiences growing up, the way he articulates these stories and conjures up potent metaphors make for a continually compelling listening experience and this makes it so easy to want to invest in the music, there's a relatability in some form or another that a broad range of music lovers can apply to their own experiences.
Target Audience Appeal:
"Grandpa Joe Played the Mandolin" is a sterling country tune and fans of the genre will undoubtedly find themselves connecting strongly with it.
Artist target suggestions:
Waylon Jennings, Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson, The Highwaymen, Brooks & Dunn, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Trampled By Turtles, Levon Helm, Buddy Miller, Dave Alvin, Guy Clark
About The Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar, as well as teaching it, helping students both learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and how to become proficient in home recording.
Having had the great pleasure of reviewing a previous track by the splendidly amiable country-bluegrass wizard Robert E. Jones, I very much looked forward to diving into "Grandpa Joe Played the Mandolin", I mean, if a title such as that doesn't evoke feelings wonderfully upbeat and welcoming, I really don't know what will. All the elements that I found terrifically engaging in previous Robert E. Jones tunes are thankfully present and once again, perfectly implemented. The charming fiddle flourishes, the pleasant rhythmic bounce of the banjo, the sweet yet reflective nature that gently underpins the lyrics, each and every element is working in perfect harmony with one another in order to give listeners a country experience that they will most certainly want to come back to time after time. All this is made even more effective by having all these wonderful elements nicely wrapped up in a richly detailed recording that boasts both great warmth and clarity.
Strongest Point(s):
There's a fantastic amount of interplay within the arrangement that really brings the music vividly to life. The way in the various engaging melodies energetically bounce off one another really helps give the song its sense of vigor, like the way the fiddle is fantastically interspersed between certain phrases of the lyrics or the way the backing vocals jump in and out to accompany the lead vocals, there's a spontaneity to the music that as a listener you can't help but get positively pulled in by. Robert E. Jones is a natural storyteller and each and every one of his songs paints a vivid picture that poignantly details his experiences growing up, the way he articulates these stories and conjures up potent metaphors make for a continually compelling listening experience and this makes it so easy to want to invest in the music, there's a relatability in some form or another that a broad range of music lovers can apply to their own experiences.
Target Audience Appeal:
"Grandpa Joe Played the Mandolin" is a sterling country tune and fans of the genre will undoubtedly find themselves connecting strongly with it.
Artist target suggestions:
Waylon Jennings, Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson, The Highwaymen, Brooks & Dunn, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Merle Haggard, Trampled By Turtles, Levon Helm, Buddy Miller, Dave Alvin, Guy Clark
About The Reviewer:
Andre Avanessian is a freelance session musician, composer, and sound engineer based in the U.K. Having studied music production and composition at a degree level, he has taken his passion for all things audio-related to a level that has allowed him to become both a competent musician and performer. Being a self-confessed "Guitar Nerd" Andre has been continually studying the guitar, as well as teaching it, helping students both learn the instrument, develop their songwriting, and how to become proficient in home recording.
Things You Don’t Find Review
Overall Impression:
The sun seems to set over the horizon as the acoustic guitar in Things You Don't Find gently arpeggiate to create the tune's rolling Country groove. There is a definite nostalgic air in the song that immediately reminds listeners of home. Lyrically, Things You Don't Find is all about country living. The sights, sounds, and tastes of a life outside the city pair perfectly with that special someone. Jones sings with a gentle approach and twang that is perfect for Country. His voice floats above the guitars but has just enough bass to keep the entire tune grounded at home. With all of these elements combined, Things You Don't Find by Robert E. Jones reveals itself to be a heartwarming new Country tune that rests easy on the ears.
Strongest Point(s):
There are many strong points with Things You Don't Find. The groove, guitar tone, lyrics, and singing all match up perfectly with each other. The end result is a solid tune that stirs up many heartfelt memories about home.
Target Audience Appeal: Fans of classic Country will enjoy Things You Don't Find by Robert E. Jones.
Artist target suggestions:
Alan Jackson, Hank Williams, Brad Paisley, Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, Glen Campbell, James Taylor, Johnny Cash, Keith Urban
About The Reviewer:
Zachary Larson is a professional touring guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. Getting his start in high school rock bands, he has since toured as a classical chamber musician, onboard luxury cruises, and with the Broadway musicals Finding Neverland and Escape To Margaritaville. His recorded work spans from classical works and pop tunes, to mind-bending experimental music. His arrangements of orchestral music are published through Clear Note Publications. Classically trained, he holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Denver.
The sun seems to set over the horizon as the acoustic guitar in Things You Don't Find gently arpeggiate to create the tune's rolling Country groove. There is a definite nostalgic air in the song that immediately reminds listeners of home. Lyrically, Things You Don't Find is all about country living. The sights, sounds, and tastes of a life outside the city pair perfectly with that special someone. Jones sings with a gentle approach and twang that is perfect for Country. His voice floats above the guitars but has just enough bass to keep the entire tune grounded at home. With all of these elements combined, Things You Don't Find by Robert E. Jones reveals itself to be a heartwarming new Country tune that rests easy on the ears.
Strongest Point(s):
There are many strong points with Things You Don't Find. The groove, guitar tone, lyrics, and singing all match up perfectly with each other. The end result is a solid tune that stirs up many heartfelt memories about home.
Target Audience Appeal: Fans of classic Country will enjoy Things You Don't Find by Robert E. Jones.
Artist target suggestions:
Alan Jackson, Hank Williams, Brad Paisley, Garth Brooks, Brooks & Dunn, Jimmy Buffett, Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, Glen Campbell, James Taylor, Johnny Cash, Keith Urban
About The Reviewer:
Zachary Larson is a professional touring guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. Getting his start in high school rock bands, he has since toured as a classical chamber musician, onboard luxury cruises, and with the Broadway musicals Finding Neverland and Escape To Margaritaville. His recorded work spans from classical works and pop tunes, to mind-bending experimental music. His arrangements of orchestral music are published through Clear Note Publications. Classically trained, he holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Denver.
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