Jude Johnstone – On A Good Day

A veteran tunesmith who moved to Los Angeles from Austin some twenty years ago, Jude Johnstone presents an intriguing glimpse of what it might have sounded like if Carole King had been steeped in the languid polish of early-’70s SoCal singer-songwriters instead of the more visceral pressure-cooker of New York’s Brill Building crew in the ’60s.

Johnstone’s reedy, earthy tenor and straightforward songs combine to suggest the unlikely, yet surprisingly cool, intersection of King with (I swear) Don Henley. The clean, smooth arrangements are driven by Johnstone’s up-front piano playing.

Nearly two decades of providing cuts for the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Nicks, Johnny Cash (the title track of Unchained), Trisha Yearwood and Jennifer Warnes has left Johnstone with an impressive array of heavyweight friends. As with her 2002 solo debut Coming Of Age, this album is liberally peppered with high-profile guests on harmony vocals — Jackson Browne shows up three times, Raitt and Rodney Crowell twice each, Julie Miller once.

Johnstone’s impeccable formality breaks no new ground; the overriding sense of safety and lack of musical chance-taking would kill a lesser talent. But her relentless tunefulness and finely-honed, expository storytelling make for a truly enjoyable ride.