So the other day I was listening to my latest obsession, Pandora Online Radio which lets you create artist stations that play songs by that artist and other artists or singers who are similar, and came across Jenny Owen Youngs. I had heard of her before (she had a brilliant song on “Weeds”), but I had never actually listened to her music until I heard “What Beats Within” which had this extremely original and hypnotic opening complete with flutes and strings. And after that, I was hooked.
In the style of Liz Phair and Jenny Lewis (who she looks strikingly similar to), Jenny combines witty and frank lyrics with catchy rock hooks. Her lyrics can be sometimes explicit and raw, which is typically when they’re at their best, but also regretful and self-depricating. Her latest album “Trasmitter Failure” was just released a few months ago and stays with you in the way only true great albums do. It’ s mesmerizing, seductive, and dream-like–sometimes all at once–which is really all you can ask for in an album.
A few songs of hers below and after the jump…
The Magnificent B 