“It happened on a normal day.”
These are the opening lyrics to the newly released Between Green and Gone by Canadian-born, Oxford-living singer/songwriter Miriam Jones. The words, introduced by soft percussion and a laid-back acoustic guitar, are a simple yet poignant summation of this project, a follow-up to 2010’s self-released Fire-Lives.
It was eight years ago when Jones released her debut record, Being Here, in collaboration with Grammy Award-winning producer Charlie Peacock (The Civil Wars, Switchfoot). Since then, she has garnered international attention, and was invited by BBC Oxford to perform second on the bill at 2011’s Cornbury Festival. Shortly after, she made the first of several appearances at the Greenbelt Festival in Kettering, a town in Northamptonshire, England.
A musical theatre lover since childhood, Jones has been playing and creating music most of her life. Since writing her first song at eight-years-old, Jones knew she was destined to make records. And with a voice as raspy and rustic as hers, it wouldn’t be difficult to make herself stand out amongst the crowd.
Between Green and Gone, produced by Simon Edwards (Fairground Attraction, Billy Bragg), is a 10-song collection of short stories told in song form, each with its heart and soul deeply rooted in the tragedies, triumphs and introspections of everyday life. The intensely personal and emotionally raw depth of this record invites the listener to reflect on their own life as they move through each chapter of this narrative.
The transient nature of Jones’ life growing up – she was born in Vancouver, currently resides in Oxford, and has also lived in Calgary, Nashville and Papua New Guinea – is apparent in the musical and melodic journey of this album. With melodies that will resonate with fans of Britain’s famous pop music, set to sparse yet effective instrumentation reminiscent of America’s deep south, Between Green and Gone transports listeners to far-away places while keeping its lyrical feet planted firmly in their own backyard.
From pleading to be left alone (“Given All”) to discovering the simple truths one can only find through quiet self-reflection (“Missed You” and “Stay”), Jones soulfully delivers a poignant story so many of us are familiar with. Sometimes, the only way to find out who we are and what we want is to let life teach us the opposite.
With fresh material released to the world, Jones is set to follow up her December touring dates as Roddy Frame’s supporting act, this time as a headliner in her own right. She will launch the album on the 25th of February at The Wheatsheaf in Oxord. For full tour dates and a sneak peak of the new album, visit .
