JENNIFER MARKS: 'Jennifer Marks'
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The first time I heard JENNIFER MARKS was on a 3-song promo sampler this past December. I was extremely impressed by her then and still am, to say the least.Back then, what struck me most was the sincerity of the way she sounded. The honesty. That willingness to put herself out there in front of the listener as exactly that - herself.
But then a bit of sly independence and humor shone through, which helped to set her apart from the pack of today's typical singer/songwriters in my mind.
Then came the hooks, and that was it.
No doubt about it, there are several distinct sides to Jennifer Marks that come through in her music - all very desirable, making for a very pleasant listen on this self-titled album, her debut for Bardic Records, who does appear to have lots of confidence in her.
First off, from the opening of 'Live,' it's not hard to realize this is a song tailor-made for contemporary pop radio, but not prefab or anything.
Just a good, catchy song that gets in your brain and doesn't leave once it gets in there.
A song full of confidence and positive vibes destined to make you sing along.
There's no reason 'Live' should not be a huge Top 40 hit, and easily crosses the line between the pre-teen and Modern Rock formats, comfortably fitting into all points in between.
Any pop radio programmer with half a brain would be a fool not to spin 'Live' at least several hundred times.
'Window,' on the other hand, is a very sexy song that highlights another clear-cut side to Jennifer Marks that's hard to turn away from with it's alluring mood and catchy chorus.
'Window' highlights a very strong side of Jennifer Marks that I'd personally like to hear more from in the future.
'Raggedy Ann,' on the other hand, is a very pretty, honest song with a touch of sadness to it that you just can't turn away from as a listener.
Again, another very sincere side to Jennifer Marks accents this paticular song, and should not be overlooked by listeners.
Based on the three latter songs alone, I'd say if that was it for quality here, it would still be a strong album.
But wait, because there's a lot more to enjoy here.
'Any Other Way' showcases that same "feel-good" attitude and confidence as 'Live' does in Jennifer Marks, with lots of potential for radio airplay.
'Naked' has a great commercial feel to it with a touch of modern R&B, yet would work excellently in the alt-rock and pop formats it naturally fits into.
Same goes for 'Walk Away,' with a big ballad-like feel to it and melodic hooks that just cannot be denied.
'Avalanche' is also another alt-rock gem with it's upbeat feel, Marks' independent attitude shining through in a strong way. There's no reason this one shouldn't get lots of airplay either.
The song 'Fragile' once again highlights Jennifer Marks' sensitive side with it's melancholy, vulnerable mood, accented even further by minimal yet very effective string arrangements.
'Thick' is also another great upbeat pop/rocker with a great hook.
'Really Something' also shines through with it's honesty. For better or worse -- like many of her other songs -- Marks puts herself out there sincerely for all to see on this one.
Summing it up, "Jennifer Marks" is a very enjoyable spin by a very likeable artist, as it goes down easy and makes you feel good inside.
See for yourself right here.
- Michael Bennett, RockAndMetal.com
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