Review: Karen Jonas – The Restless

This dark alt-country offering showcases a new side to Jonas’ songwriting. The record explores themes of romance and ill-fated love, with many of the lyrics having a nostalgic feel to them. The album opens with ‘Paris Breeze’ and the thing that strikes me is the detailed description in the lyrics, “we’re breathing lavender and jasmine and the dust that’s fallen off of some great painting.” In fact, the whole record feels like a very visceral encounter. A highlight is the intimate piano track ‘Lay Me Down’. It explores the theme of choosing to love despite knowing it could end in heartbreak whilst ‘That’s Not My Dream Couch’ is more upbeat and has its own sense of humour and wit. ‘Forever’ definitely takes a more hopeful tone when it comes to love. The production is well thought out, complementing the mood of each track whilst remaining cohesive.