Katie Jo’s new debut record, Pawn Shop Queen, is deeply in tune with country music of a bygone era, adorned with pedal steel guitar and the singer’s authoritative and authentic voice. In some ways, it harkens to the country music that came out of Los Angeles in the early ’70s via bands such as The Flying Burrito Brothers or as heard on early albums from Jackson Browne and the Eagles.
But there’s something that goes even further back, into the music’s rural roots. The lyrics are untouched by trappings of contemporary life: There are no references to heartbreak delivered via text message or old flames reignited thanks to the wonders of social media. Instead, the songs emanate from the most timeless of places: the heart.
Joined by an impressive cast of musicians, Katie Jo has delivered a debut album that connects on a deeply human level and leaves the listener spinning their own ideas about the threads that connect the material on Pawn Shop Queen as they return for multiple listens.