Mood and atmosphere are key factors in the creation of immersive and transportive music and Jo Meares’ new album is richly imbued with them. Eerie forlorn harmonica, delicate and heart-wrenching piano notes, slow shuffling drums and exquisite guitar courtesy of Jeff Lang are the backdrop to Meares’ tales of love, pain and emotional turbulence, rendered in the talk/sung style of Leonard Cohen yet invested with the gothic country ambience of Howe Gelb (Giant Sand) and Wovenhand. King of the Crystal Mountain is a richly detailed and beautiful set of recordings from start to finish.

Chris Familton

this review was first published in The Music