Band:
Jesse Forte – Vocals
Nicki Kin – Guitar, Vocals
J.P. White – Bass
Jacki Stone – Drums
Diskography:
The Demos (EP- 2005)
Lit Up/Let Down (2006)
The Art of Telling Lies (2009)
We Can Never Die (EP- 2010)
Info
Producer: Adam Hamilton
Guests:
Frukwan – Rap break (“Electric Avenue”)
Jimmy Wallace – Keyboards (“Get Back”)
Anton Sevholt – Guitar (“Get Back”)
Released 5/4-2011
Reviewed 17/6-2011
Links:
vainsofjenna.com
myspace
As they are a so-called sleaze rock band I have not really gotten to know them before as I am not that much of a fan of that kind of genre. I also come to think of another thing, I have nothing whatsoever against cover albums, but I think they should be done by bands who have made themselves a name and found their voice and that is something I am not sure Vains of Jenna have done that with just two album and one or two EPs in their discography.
Musically I do think this band on this album sound a bit like they confess themselves to the american style of rock music with the characteristic style of singing and also a musical style reminiscent of bands like Nickelback or Black Water Rising. The music on this particular album is quite varied thanks to the different bands that are covered on this album, it makes for a varied set of songs. Production is quite modern and rather typical, nothing really to write home about there. The band can not be considered to be much of a groundbreaker when it comes to their musical style but that is of course not all there is to making a good album.
As already stated there are covers only on this album and one of these is the one of Smoke on the Water originally by Deep Purple, I wonder if you have ever wished to hear a bluesy version of that song without the iconic riff, have you? I thought so, neither did I. I think that song is something of a low on this album. It also feels like a not so clever thing to do if you are looking to score good music. There are one or two similar songs on this album that I will not get more into.
Lets instead turn it all on the other end, the good stuff because there are some of that as well. I think the song called California Dreaming which in original is a really good song is also greatly covered by this band, they put their own feel to it and it sound really good. The Elton John cover called Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is another good one, actually it is my favourite on this album, it is a great song and greatly covered as well, the singer does a great job here and really carries the song well. I also think the Dylan cover Blowin’ in the Wind is also really great, much better than the original version of the song. I also like the song Wish You Were Here which is a wonderful song by a wonderful band, sure Vains of Jenna is nowhere near Pink Floyd but still it is a wonderful song almost no matter who makes it.
I think all in all this album is something of a roller-coaster ride, it is ups and down all the way through with the real low in Smoke on the Water and the high point is Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Then if we add it all up we end up bang in the middle, the highs and the lows evens out and in the end we find that we are back where we started with the rating dead in the middle.
So I would say that this album is all in all a good album which has some highs and lows and if we avoid bad Deep Purple covers it is really a good listen. So I will approve of this album but now I am expecting the band to show something of their own to have this album making more sense but that answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind.
HHHHHHH
