COTTON JENNY
Cotton Jenny (self-produced)
Reviewed by Erick Mertz

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A spit shine of grit isn't achieved by accident, and neither is it proof of inability; often, it is an attainment of craft, this raw yet magnetic sense of songwriting. Portland Oregon's Cotton Jenny is a five piece ensemble with tough feminine qualities so steeped in the brash mythos of early PJ Harvey, and their self-titled and self-produced album can be referred to as nothing short of a rarely accomplished creative balancing act.

The fulcrum of this wheel is undoubtedly Jennifer Froust, the front woman singer/songwriter with her extraordinary sensuality on display. She seems to pine for something loping and haunted in "Hello Moon" and something as simple as a rainy day in "Saccharin." On first listen she's a husky sprite, with wearied longings like Joni Mitchell; the second listen, well, it's harder to tell from where she derives her muse. Clear from the first tone however, is the monumental challenge in turning Froust and her penchant for tales off - or down for that matter.

The image of the rest of Cotton Jenny as window dressing is faulty. Sonically, songs like "Black Josie" and "Gershwin's Dream" are enchanting for all seasons, pointed by Josh Boyd's seemingly Faustian deal with the dark sampling arts. The album tends to lean a little too heavily on those exploits in places, but overall Cotton Jenny is a subtle effort worthy of repeated listens.

[Pick this up at http://www.cottonjenny.org.]

© 2005 - Erick Mertz