Arriving when we need it most, in winter’s perpetual tunnel, Jenn
Grant’s first album on Six Shooter has an organic warmth even as many
of the songs speak of autumnal endings. Right off the top,
“Heartbreaker” offers comfort while warning a lover away for his own
good: “I’m a heartbreaker,” she growls, “now go out and find the one
that you should.” “You’ll Go Far” sounds like the kiss-off, too, but
with a gorgeous and optimistic series of Grant’s signature daisy-chain
“ohs,” strung over a chord’s hypnotic progress. Bowel-shaking bass
notes introduce the yearning ballad “I Was Your Woman,” in tandem with
dark and declarative lyrics, “You are not the one,” and “I took your
power but you gave it to me.”
The record fairly bleeds with hard-earned understanding of love’s
codependent bite, but before you assume Grant has embraced her inner
femme fatale to the exclusion of all else, give a listen to the doo-wop
chorus in “Parachutes,” the light-as-air “(I’ve Got) The Two of You”
that recalls the sweetest tunes of The Be Good Tanyas. The album’s
heart is the stunning “Sailing by Silverships,” which leads the
listener into the sky on the wings of Grant’s voice. The Noël Coward
and Neil Young covers are odd choices, but on the strength of Grant’s
maturing songwriting, Echoes resounds beautifully.
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 4, 2009.