Aptly self-described “psychedelic country noir” songsmith and multi-instrumentalist Stone Jack Jones came up in West Virginia and settled in Nashville a little more than three decades ago. He’s been a touchstone for artful and thoughtful Music City musicians practically that whole time, helping shine a light on human-centered ideas about art and life that don’t necessarily jive with the consumerist ideals that rule mainstream music.
“Voodoo Home,” the titular track of the EP that Jones released himself in May, zooms in on the fruits of this labor. Over cyclical melodies that coalesce into a drone, Jones sings about the things you can draw sustenance and energy from when you tune out the noise: “Take a stone and skip it on the water / Go tripping stumble and falter / Come wisdom and sadness and madness / A sparkling day.” The repetitive vocals lend the track (recorded with ace producer-engineer Roger Moutenot) the quality of an incantation in a way special to Jones. You might get the idea you’re overhearing a spell cast by a benevolent sorcerer who’s channeling the power of the deep, dark woods.
Co-directed by filmmakers Brooke Bernard and Elle Long, the lo-fi music video parallels the simplicity of the song. In the piece, friends and collaborators from the Jones camp — among others, that includes longtime sideman Kyle Hamlett on banjo, background vocalist Kelly Diehl and bassist Marcello Giuliani, who all appear on the EP — play music and soak in each other’s company over the laid-back soundtrack of the downtempo folk melody. They're showing us simple but priceless things that bring them joy and satisfaction. Many of the folks featured in the short are seen with their partners and their animal companions, from playful beagles, donkeys and horses to Long’s beloved corn snake Rosie.
Find the EP via Jones’ website or your favorite streaming service (also see the Bandcamp embed below), and keep an eye on his Instagram profile for updates and show announcements.
