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February 2019 issue of
Country Music People Magazine UK
Review by Paul Riley
JEFF MOON Bones In The Ground Roadman / Goodbye Mississippi / Tailgunner / Billy The Kid / Dodging Raindrops / 6 String 6 Pack 6 Gun / Polly / Dead And Gone / Bones In The Ground / Let It Be Me Producer: Stu Arkoff Self Release 36:32 Singer-songwriter Jeff Moon’s debut album is described on CDbaby as “quirky, dark Americana. No hat, no cattle.” It’s all that and more, with several pleasant surprises as we travel through the album. The first song, Roadman, is a Jeff Moon original - as most songs here are. It has an old-school country feel and deals with “beer-stained floors” and dreamers. Bones In The Ground features a number of duets on which Mr Moon is joined by Jane Rose. The first of these is a new song, Billy The Kid. The track has a kind of engaging, plodding Johnny Cash- style backing track and it’s good to hear actor James Coburn get a mention. This song has a fine melody, as well. The title-song is a bit similar with added fiddle. There are two tracks here that merge reggae and country. Polly, the best of the two, features a rock guitar break which slots in well. The song seems almost hypnotic after a few plays. The other reggae-meets-country affair is Dead And Gone which is slightly less reggae. Dark lyrics on this one and it really lives up to its title. Jeff Moon’s debut has several themes including travel and dreaming. The best of these is Goodbye Mississippi which captures the feel of a man wandering around thinking about the past. A wonderful, timeless track. Tailgunner with its jaunty, fiddle drenched start also has a feel of a man travelling, searching. The album ends with Let It Be Me which embraces the feel of a train song. It chugs along with added back-up singers. This is the only song on the album not written by someone whose last name is Moon. Jeff Moon’s debut release is high on entertainment value and no one is going to be bored by this one. It has variety and some well- written lyrics and the slightly lo-fi production works well as I feel a glossy pop production would have sunk these interesting songs. This is more country than expected from the “dark Americana” description mentioned. On the basis of his debut album, Jeff Moon is a singer-songwriter of some note. Where will his music take him next? - Paul Riley
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