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Jess Klein, Strawberry Lover (Rykodisc, 2005) |
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Jess Klein, Strawberry Lover (Rykodisc, 2005) |
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Although I am a Yank from New York, I had ironically never heard of New York native Jess Klein until a moment of serendipity brought me to my local Lancashire arts hangout, the Bury Met. The Met is a little jewel and boasts extremely prestigious acts such as Seth Lakeman and Eliza Carthy. Jess was there headlining, equipped with just her acoustic guitar, and I was mesmerized by her moving performance and versatile instrumental dexterity. Strawberry Lover is a more rocky, sometimes country-flavoured fusion of folk and pop. If asked who she reminded me of, it most definitely wouldn't be a female artist. If she could be compared to anyone, it would be more of a female Nick Lowe or Elvis Costello -- not in voice, but in influences and style. I would imagine Klein grew up listening to country music, folk and even rock 'n' roll. She has previously been described as "post punk country soul," and I can certainly see that in her music. Going from an almost Van Halen rocker like "Sink My Teeth," she shifts into the haunting "Strawberry Lover" with a subliminal country twang. Klein has the most sulty, sexy voice that you could want to listen to -- "honey dripping from the knees," to quote my favourite track, "Soda Water," which has almost an ethnic Eastern feel to it. She writes about things that matter to her -- being a rebel, love ("Willing to Change"/"Strawberry Lover"), believing in dreams and her political beliefs ("Bombs are Falling"/"Orphanage Rage"). Klein is not wrapped up in commercialism, but seems to have a quality sound with each track of her album a separate entity in what it is trying to convey both lyrically and musically. Genres are constantly explored and risks taken. It is hard to believe that this is actually Jess Klein's fifth album, and I will be perusing the backlog of her work to order what I have missed. Highly recommended! by Risa Duff |
