Baskerville Jones
Mile 1
(self-released)

Baskerville Jones’ Mile 1 is a tight, little EP showcasing the woman’s pipes, as well as the subtle, stark production of some stellar players. The lady sets her singing groove over an equally groovin’ electric flicking and backing female vocals in opener “Mile 1,” while Darrell Crooks’ picking electric backs Jones’ softer, almost whispered delivery in the love song “Masquerade.” Jonathan Jackson Jr. adds just the right subtle organ here, making this truly a little ballad gem on Mile 1. Again, there is some very smart backing vocals placed into the production here. Then there’s “On This Day,” a Matt Rohde piano-led ballad, and the Adam Hawley guitar-moving “It’s Gonna Rain” (the most commercial tune here with its soft sway acoustic behind Jones, a hinted-at beat and just the right little way-back-in-the-mix backing vocals and instruments) ends this album. The latter tune certainly presents for me Jones’ best vocal performance, which is saying a lot since her pipes stand out throughout Mile 1; the lady has style and she can definitely sing. I do truly appreciate the two instrumentals (“It’s Gonna Rain” and “On This Day”) that end the EP. There’s lots of fun guitar stuff and piano respectively on the tunes. In fact, Matt Rohde’s solo ivory tickling on the “On This Day” instrumental is my most favorite moment on the Baskerville Jones’ Mile 1. Check out Baskerville Jones here.