Ms. Clarke packs all the sass she can into her stilettos for Knee Deep and hits the town, stomping on any old Peaches comparisons and ties to that Maritime sound. From beginning to end, the EP is soaked with synths brighter than MJ’s socks on Off the Wall, and moaning melodies that might make you feel guilty if someone catches you listening. Jen Clarke is cute and ruthless: “Street Rhythm” is a punch to the face and “2 Hot 2 Hold” is a swift kick to the groin. If her debut album, Machines to Make Us Wet, made you, uh, what the title says…then get ready to be drenched.
This article appears in Nov 18-24, 2010.