Jess Klein - Back to My Green

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 26 / 3 / 2019

Label: Blue Rose
Format: CD

intro

Emotive latest album from American singer-songwriter Jess Klein in which major changes in her personal and creative life and not least in her homeland have inspired her to produce her strongest set of songs to date

It’s been four years since Jess Klein’s last album, ‘Learning Faith’, during which the talented native New Yorker singer-songwriter has seen many changes in her personal life and in her homeland. Some have been happy events; her new marriage to songwriter Mike June must top the happy list and, with the passing of time, the move from Austin, Texas to Hillsborough, North Carolina will no doubt edge nearer to the top too. A change of surroundings almost always shows through in an artist’s work, sometimes pushing their music into new territories and affording new inspiration. On the downside there was the American election and Klein also suffered a repetitive strain Injury to her wrist, which made it painful for her to not only play guitar but also to type or write for some time. Klein had to change her method of making music, not an easy task for a musician who has released a dozen albums during the last twenty years. All of these changes have affected the songs on ‘Back to My Green’ in some way. And although many are guilty of proclaiming that with every album Klein has produced her best set of songs to date one can’t help but make that declaration again but this time, given all the changes Klein has lived through since her last set of songs, there is yet another subtle shift in direction. While always an expressive vocalist, ‘Back to My Green’ finds Klein turning in some of her most soulful vocals to date. While her folk leanings are not abandoned completely and while Klein has always been an artist not afraid to take risks, this latest collection might just be her most diverse yet cohesive set of songs to date. The blues-hued, ‘Gates of Hell’, complete with gospel choir, shows the gutsy side to Klein’s work, yet the following track, ‘4 The Girlz’, is a beautiful, mellow, acoustic ballad and coming immediately after such a rousing song shouldn’t really gel. But it does and it’s touches like this. The fact that so much thought has obviously been spent going into even the running order of these songs really does hammer home the fact that ‘Back to My Green’ rates as Klein’s best work to date. While those who have already been touched by Klein’s vocals will know that she is one of our best contemporary singers across any genre, and without wishing to take any of the glory away from her lyrical skills, especially on this album which finds Klein scaling new peaks with her writing, it’s that voice that will draw so many into ‘Back to My Green’ initially. It’s irresistible. But forget that voice just for a moment (if that’s possible) and her lyrical skills; the sound produced across the whole album by Mark Simonsen (Klein and engineer Thom Canova also co-produced) is inviting and warm and brings out the best in both Klein’s vocals and lyrics. The string quartet parts that Simonsen composed for two of the albums highlights, the opening, radio-friendly pop of ‘In Dreams’ and ‘Kid’, just one of the songs on the album which lends advice and delivers the message to believe in yourself, are simply stunning and take the songs to places a Jess Klein song maybe wouldn’t have visited without Simonsen’s input. There are moments where Klein’s vocals alone will touch the hardest of hearts though; ‘Tougher Than I Seem’ is one, it’s impossible to listen to this song, another about making your own way in life, without being affected by Klein’s vocal performance. ‘Back to My Green’ is an album where your favourite will change with every listen; there’s so much to discover and enjoy here. Klein shifts through a number of styles yet it all hangs together brilliantly. While there’s little doubt that it’s a Jess Klein album one does get the feeling that without producer Simonsen’s input the outcome would not have been the same. While there’s never been just a good album released by Jess Klein and every set has been more than great, with Simonsen it appears that Klein has found a kindred spirit who understands her musical vision totally. The pairing has resulted in a powerful, beautiful collection of songs. Even when anger shows its face in the passionate ‘Blair Mountain’, recalling the conflict that occurred in Logan County, West Virginia as part of the Coal Wars, the strings weeping in the background before the electric guitars storm in drip with melancholy, it’s a powerful performance showing yet another side to Klein’s songwriting and vocal skills. The more one listens to ‘Back to My Green’ the more it gets under the skin and yet another play is required. It is, without question, a career highlight for Jess Klein and is highly recommended.

Track Listing:-