The Mountains and Trees is mostly the product of one dude, Jon Janes, who used to be a drummer but has since broadened his scope into playing all of the instruments and writing all the music and lyrics for Mountains and Trees.
The music is pretty easy to characterize as singer-songwriter indie folk. This means it’s more complex than “generic” folk, and moves at less traditional tempos. On the whole, the album needs a little editing, but it is a very strong release. The first song, “Fear of Ghosts,” tells a strangely graphic tale of a child’s broken arm, and it’s almost too personal to be relatable. But the second cut, More & More & More, is where the album takes off. It’s a happy jangle love song with an excellent pace. Other standout cuts include the duet “Crossing Crows,” the traditional-sounding “Traveling Song,” and the gentle, acoustic sing-a-long “The Times.” “Goodbye Little Town” is a foray out of indie folk and into acoustic indie rock, with great harmonies on the chorus.
In all, a solid and bold debut.
More & More & More
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