There are many flaws to be found on Jennifer Leonhardt’s
“Gods and Nations,” but that didn’t
prevent it from finding a soft spot in my heart and
banging away until I finally caved in. Leonhardt is
an indie solo artist who gets her kicks writing stripped
down, folk-tinged tunes and then singing them ever
so slightly off-key—enough that you notice but
not so much that you immediately dismiss her. Production
isn’t anything to write home about; the instruments
don’t seem to fill all of the space they have
to work with, yet the naked feeling that is conveyed
is weirdly comforting. Many songs meander needlessly
near or beyond the five-minute mark, but you find
yourself continuing to listen just to see what will
happen next.
“Gods and Nations” opens with the bluesy
march of “Patron” where we catch the first
glimpses of Leonhardt’s vocal limits. Despite
a voice that can’t quite figure out which note
it wants to sing, her attitude wins you over. Next
in line is “Cradle,” which signals the
beginning of a string of songs that get slower and
slower, do less and less and drone on and on. The
streak ends three songs later with a cover of “Strange
Fruit” that sounds like Leonhardt rented an
echo chamber, sat in one corner, put a microphone
in another and hit record. Thankfully, things pick
up again with “Average Joe.” It’s
funny how this five-minute track actually seems shorter
than the three-minute “Strange Fruit,”
but that’s what happens. Leonhardt is just much
stronger when she sticks with the folk rock style.
Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem to feel this
way, because it’s another three songs before
a song worth talking about, the catchy “Here
Comes Trouble.”
But here’s the thing about all that real estate
between the highlights of the album: it’s not
that bad. No, you wouldn’t hear it on the radio
or MTV, nor would I even go out of my way to listen
to any of these songs. But if this CD happens to come
on while I’m doing some work around the house,
I’m not going to complain. It fills the time
well, and it’s made all the better by the fact
that it’s as raw yet as genuine as you’re
going to find. That’s something I can get behind.
Maybe “Gods and Nations” is the White
Stripes Corollary at work. Sure, Meg White has the
drumming skills of a 5th chair percussionist in the
high school band and there’s no bottom end to
Jack White’s songs, but somehow it all works.
If you suck to a certain degree, it seems, you can
be endearing rather than annoying. And, for me, Leonhardt
ranks as rather endearing.
Key Tracks: Patron, Average Joe, Here Comes Trouble
Reviewed by David Baker |
