(This review originally appeared in the April, 2005 issue of the San Diego Troubadour–www.sandiegotroubadour.com)

Jenn Grinels

Jenn Grinels

by Simeon Flick

It's a shame that most independent musicians don't have access to major label resources; amazing up-and-coming talent is hard-pressed not to suffocate in studio sacrifices made due to financial limitations. This dearth manifests itself here in the form of a painfully brief 5-song program and questionable drum performances and production on a couple tracks...but you won't notice or care about these negligible anomalies like a nitpicking critic does.

This is a major tour de force for Grinels, whose powerfully supple voice could shatter crystal for days and makes one think that some amount of musical training (Jenn's is in musical theater) should be de rigueur for every aspiring artist wanting to earn their wings. This record rocks like Heart without the glam kitsch, and Jenn Grinels is an introspective Ann Wilson for the new millennium.

Grinels is a triple threat; adroit guitar chops accompany her white-hot vocals (listen to her finger-picking on 'this is: the graduation song' and 'the plea', and the tight acoustic rhythms everywhere else). And yet it's obvious that she still put invaluable time into her songwriting craft, even though she could've easily succumbed to the license often abused by others in letting those chops prop her up on weaker material.

There's no leading lady carrying a bad movie here; the lyrics are deep and visceral, revealing the wildly poetic thoughts of a soul tortured by romantic schism and social alienation. 'Friction' and 'the toothbrush song' are vitriolic ex-lover kiss-offs that will prostrate you with their rollercoaster live-show intensity. 'This is: the graduation song' struggles with coming of age, and 'god blessed the pretty people' is a revelatory recount of someone who has, perhaps through rejection (although Grinels is hardly chopped liver!), chosen to value personality and depth over appearance.

Grinels and her skillfully crafted EP have a prodigious sound that belongs on a big label. Listening to her record will fill you with idealistic notions of how American Idol hopefuls could be judged: with more emphasis on talent and craft, and with the contestants singing their own words and music. Buy this CD now and hop this train before it leaves the station!

Jenn Grinels is available at www.jenngrinels.com and www.cdbaby.com.