Rooms For Adelaide

It never ceases to amaze me how much good music by independent artists is being produced these days. Releasing their music on the internet and performing literally hundreds of times per year have allowed many artists to have their music heard and to at least scratch out a living. Many of these artists write, record, engineer and produce their own material..

Mia & Jonah are quintessential independent artists. Their second album release, Rooms For Adelaide, find them as excellent songwriters, adequate vocalists and in possession of an ability to put together a production that flows well from song to song. Except possibly for one song, all the parts of the album fit together well and lull you into a pleasurable listening experience.

Mia & Jonah describe themselves as an Americana folk-rock band. This self designation is accurate. If their songs were performed with just an acoustic guitar in support, they would be a folk duo. Mia & Jonah, however, take their lyrics and add a rock beat. They put percussion out front with a guitar sound in support and create an interesting blend of musical styles.

The lyrics are Mia & Jonah’s greatest strength. They speak of personal experiences and musings. The lyrics, however, are just a starting point. They provide the listener a jumping-off point to continue the journey on their own.

“Stories High” and “Wish” begin the album and are representative of what is to follow. Soft voices, both individually and in tandem, lead the listener onward. The beat provides a good count point to this mellow approach. “Silver Moon” is probably the most striking song contained on the album. It is a love song, but the true meaning dances just beyond the mind’s reach.

“Junkyard Dog,” the seventh song on the album, is the one that seems out of place. Interestingly, it is a strong song but appears out of context in relation to the rest of the album. Mia & Jonah crank up the electric guitar sound and move toward an outright rock sound. As a standalone song it is excellent, but here interrupts the flow of the album as a synchronized unit.

Mia & Jonah present music for the mind as well as the ear. You really need to listen to the lyrics, which are included in the packaging, as they tell the story just as well as the music — like all great folk songs. Overall, this is a wonderfully-crafted album that goes well with a glass of wine, a fireplace and an open mind.