Search - Jenai :: Cool Me Down

Everyone in Nashville is pondering the ramifications (if any) of O Brother's success. While it's a long shot that pre-bluegrass acoustic country will pull a bloodless coup, this Idaho native may have the answer. Her mystical-sounding name comes from an Ingrid Bergman film, yet there's nary a hint of artifice in this near-flawless mélange of rootsy, neo-traditional fare. She possesses a smoky, passionate voice with overtones of Bonnie Raitt and Shelby Lynne. Few contemporary singers could match her rhythmic instincts as she masters straight-shooting songs from Kieran Kane ("Cool Me Down") and Jamie O'Hara ("Be a Woman"). True, "It Won't Be Me" is an obvious sop to the power-ballad crowd, yet everything else is tough and nimble. Both the infectious "South Side Stomp" and "Papa Don't Ask, Mama Don't Know" reflect a total mastery of Western swing. "Little Unlucky at Love" thrives in an austere yet contemporary arrangement. Using the same no-frills approach he applied to the Judds, producer Brent Maher played to Jenai's strengths, resulting in a stunning, charismatic debut. --Rich Kienzle