Julie Jean White

Feed This Jones– 2019 self-released

Run time 0:27:25 8 songs

Reviewed by Michael Rampa

After a brilliant debut album, “Silver Heart,” indie artist Julie Jean White moved to Nashville to ply her trade. Over a thousand twitter followers and quite a few members of the press were anxious to see what was in store on her sophomore effort. “Feed This Jones” is a tight eight-song, 28- minute effort that is a little slicker, thematically lighter and filled with attitude. You get the feeling that some rules will be broken right away. All of the songs blow through Nashville’s unwritten three minute stop sign rule for song length. The lead off title track is a tune that gives an unabashed free pass for a late night hook up where the lady becomes the girl you call after midnight to satisfy her own needs, consequences be damned.

There are a few how to manuals, The hard driving “Whiskey  Drinkin’” has a kick ass Miranda Lambert vibe and gives you the recipe to make  sour mash while “If You Want To Lose Her” gives a three-minute tutorial  on a sure fire method to lose your lady.

White’s mezzo  is versatile and adaptable. She has an uncanny ability to make any song feel like her signature; She is as effective  on the down and out achy ballads  like “The Next” as she is seamlessly carrying the album’s most pleasant surprise; the very funky jazz/Motown hybrid  “I Can Take You” where she delivers lines like “Love you like a midnight voodoo child”  in a manner that is  sexy and spooky at the same time.

Sonically, the production is on the glossy side. There is a little more sustain in the Telecaster, more sizzle on the slide and a little more action on the keys. There is no mistaking her country roots or her deft ability to craft a song.