Jenn Grant's Echoes

Canadian pop chanteuse Jenn Grant first burst onto the Canadian music scene in 2007 with her debut album, Orchestra From The Moonon which she collaborated with talented musicians Ron Sexsmith and Matt Mays. The album was a fantastic starting point and garnered all sorts of acclaim; not to shabby for a debut album. It wasn't long before Grant found herself quickly climbing through the ranks or indie artists in her native Canada and as a result she was ready to branch out. That desire to expand her reach brings us to today. Having recently released Echoeson both sides of the border Jenn is now poised to spread her realm of influence into the States.

The first thing you notice about Jenn Grant (aside from how adorable she is) is the fact that's she's not like your mom's singer songwriter. In fact, she probably has more in common with Bjork (if she was understandable) and Feist than anyone that just strums an acoustic guitar. Echoes is an adventurous record that takes an open minded approach to writing acoustic based music by using far more than just acoustic instrumentation. The result is an album that has a sense of pop about it while using all sorts of colorful dynamics to keep things interesting. For example, when Jenn sings of fireflies there's actually a sound that goes along with it. That's awesome stuff. It's just a little flourish of sound but that gives her album depth and a thoughtfulness that so many other sing songwriters lack.

Echoes is an imaginative record that uses sounds to not only create songs but atmospherics that set a mood and a feeling which allows the songs to develop into little stories. Jenn has created an entertaining record that even at it's slowest and quietest moments somehow still feels alive and different. She's a singer songwriter that's so far from the norm that you can't help but like her. Her version of Neil Young's "Only Love Can Break Your Heart," is something magical. It's a tender, shy moment that's the exact opposite of St. Etienne's version and it lilt's it's way into your consciousness. That song pretty much sums up Echoes; it's an album that's tender, delicate, different and truly something special.

While there are some slow moments on Echoes, she is a singer songwriter afteralll, the vast majority of the material is entertaining enough to actually make your forget that simple fact. With strings, mellotrons, organ, piano and brushed drums this is so much more than just a girl with a guitar and some depressing songs. Jenn Grant is a true artist with a vision. After listening to Echoes it's easy to see why she's so highly thought of in Canada and it should only be a matter of time before she's thought of the same way here in the States.