Homesite finds Caroline Jones standing on the precipice of a life-altering decision - with a baby on the way, does she prioritise her family to the detriment of her career, or does she go full steam-ahead with her musical ambitions?

The answer lies beneath the rich, vibrant textures and heart-rending confessions of the album’s keystone, ‘Taking To Milo’, which finds Caroline Jones reflecting on Heavenly advice from her husband’s late brother (“It's gonna take the best of me to chase your dreams without giving mine up”).

Despite the emotional weight and gravitas that underpins much of Homesite, it’s the furthest thing from a heavy, sombre album. Caroline Jones’ buoyant vocals crackle with lustre and energy on pop-leaning numbers such as ‘Lawless’ and the Zac Brown Band-assisted ‘Million Little Bandaids’, while she injects an extra sense of playfulness and levity into the tongue-in-cheek ‘Britches’ and the self-effacing honky-tonk anthem, ‘Normal Person’.

Although Caroline Jones tackles a plethora of thorny challenges over the course of Homesite, the record is pervaded by a refreshing feeling of innocence and joy, as the former Jimmy Buffett-protegee introduces newfound depth to work without ever straying into self-indulgence.

8/10

Caroline Jones' 2023 album, Homesite, is out now via True to the Song.

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