Diana Jones : Better Times Will Come
 Diana Jones combines traditional mountain and old-time sounds with a literate, character-driven brand of storytelling on her new album, Better Times Will Come. If the reaction of her fellow songwriters is any indication, she's produced something of a masterpiece. Two of the songs from her new record have been covered by some of the nation's most recognizable folk artists; Joan Baez covered 'Henry Russell's Last Words' on her Grammy-nominated album Day After Tomorrow, while Gretchen Peters has recorded If I Had a Gun". Notable names lending a hand on Better Times Will Come include Mary Gauthier, Nanci Griffith and Betty Elders, The Old Crow Medicine Show's Ketch Secor, and more. Better Times Will Come uses deceptively simple lyrics which tell their stories with the hypnotic repetition and plain speech of old mountain song. Pay closer attention, though, and you ll hear a modern literary voice working with irony and implication. Listen, for example, to how skillfully Diana uses the subjunctive mood on her version of 'If I Had a Gun,' the conditional threat of a mistreated woman. Listen to how subtly Diana marks the passage of time in 'Henry Russell s Last Words,' based on a real letter written by a dying miner. Hear how true love and undeniable defects can coexist on 'Cracked and Broken.' The lyrics are not strictly autobiographical, but they echo Diana s own experiences.
Diana Jones has one foot in the tradition of the Appalachian Mountains and the other in the contemporary singer/songwriter camp; the results are traditional sounding and influenced songs with the melodic smarts and lyrical sophistication of the best modern artists. It’s a compelling mix and it makes ‘Better Times Will Come’ a unique and important album that deserves to find a wide audience. Highly recommended.
Song List: | 1. | Better Times Will Come | 2:53 | | 2. | All God's Children (Album Version) | 3:44 | | 3. | Henry Russell's Last Words (Album Version) | 4:25 | | 4. | If I Had A Gun (Album Version) | 3:41 | | 5. | Soldier Girl (Album Version) | 3:00 | | 6. | Cracked and Broken (Album Version) | 3:16 | | 7. | Ballad of the Poor (Album Version) | 2:34 | | 8. | Appalachia (Album Version) | 3:45 | | 9. | Evangelina (Album Version) | 3:11 | | 10. | Something Crossed Over (Album Version) | 4:00 | | 11. | The Day I Die (Album Version) | 2:55 |
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