Jennie Vee

This post was originally intended to be part of my 'artists to look forward to' featurette (aka 'new faves'), but in the meantime and seeing as the artist in question released her new record during the first week of the month, I can not only write about the short - but guitartastic - back catalogue, but also comment as to why the new single, is just the thing to kick-start the New Year...

I actually have to thank @starlingsteph and the day our twitter feeds intertwined, for bringing Toronto-born, New-York implant Jennie Vee to my attention. To be honest, taking a look at her photos - perfect hair, dressed all in black, that alluring stare - it would be easy to dismiss her as either a model or - even worse - another TV-hyped, corporate pop-act (and yes, this does sound similar to my tongue-firmly-in-cheek opening gambit to describe Dee Dee Penny), but then Jennie plugs in her guitar, puts her foot down on the effects-pedal and once again all of those ill-advised preconceptions are thankfully shattered... Remember, you should never judge a book by the cover...

That having been said, comparisons to Dum Dum Girls aren't that far of the mark, Jennie and Dee Dee appear to share many of the same musical influences - the most noticeable of whom are The Raveonettes - even a cursory listen to last Autumn's five track EP, "Die Alone" reveals that same ear for an immediately catchy and guitar-driven indie-pop melody. And while "Die Alone" is less lo-fi and 'fuzzy', and more dreamy, melodic and three-dimensional (perhaps "warmer" is the word I'm struggling for here?) than anything Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo have created, nor perhaps as introspective as Dee Dee's lyrics, there's a definite kindred spirit here - generous helpings of reverbed guitar, glorious multi-tracked vocal harmonies , sharp lyrics and more than a nodding respect for eighties post-punk indie-pop. 

Then again, as the guitar intro of "Die Alone" teases I half-expect the song to segue into Frankie Rose's "Gospel/Grace" (indeed, there's something in Jennie's voice that reminds of Frankie), but then drums grab the beat by the scruff of the neck, the guitar kicks-in - there's a definite Cure influence here - before Jennie's harmonious vocals take centre-stage, managing to wrap melancholic lyrics into a totally dreamy indie-pop melody...

"Wicked" has a distinctive shoegaze feel - lyrically and musically the song has a gloomier edge (and I'd definitely be staring down at me feet during the middle-eight), but from nowhere there is the most marvellous and uplifting of honey-drenched choruses drills deep into the skull as there's an explosion of the most stunning of pop-songs. "Say goodbye" is three minutes of shredded effects-peddled goodness, pounding percussion and another infectiously catchy chorus (I'll say it now, Jennie Vee knows how to compose a hook). In a similar vein, "Gone away", while not quite as big a 'fuck-off' as La Sera's "Losing to the dark", definitely has the same sentiment, all married to punchy drums, driving guitar and a ridiculously addictive singalong chorus. The EP's closer "Red flag" features the sort of reverbed guitar lead-in that would make me go out and buy the song even if the remaining three and a bit minutes were silence - it most definitely isn't - the chorus is the most amazing example of multi-track echoing and before long toes are tapping uncontrollably along with the beat...

If you check out the EP's Bandcamp page you'll note that supporters have commented how the songs have an empathy with the guitar-fuelled sound of 80's post-punk (everything from New Wave through Shoegaze and beyond...) Actually while this is undoubtedly true - and I own enough of the above to come to the same conclusion - I'd argue that the reality is that Jennie simply has the knack of crafting the most perfect of multi-textural guitar-driven songs, has a keen ear for a melody and can knock-out catchy hooks blindfolded; have I mentioned that she's a more than accomplished guitarist - on six-strings or four And she has a natural affinity and ability for creating timeless alt/indie pop - a genre that was arguably at its peak during the post-punk era.... Yet the more I listen to Jennie so the more I'm inclined to agree with La Féline's Agnès Gayraud who writes in her personal blog "Moderne, c'est déjà vieux" the idea that new is in fact old and that 'newness' is just a reinvention of the past. I think that Jennie understands this concept...

I should also mention that those of us who bought the EP last year received very nice belated Christmas pressie in the shape of the most incredibly sympathetic homage to Echo and the Bunnymen's "Lips like sugar", all multi-layered guitars and lashings of those angelic vocals...

But enough of 2014 - it's so last year.  Jennie has recently released her new single "Never let you down". Here is a song - if it wasn't for the fact that daytime radio here in the US is blandness personified - I should be able to drive across LA and flicking between radio stations, always catch (although I don't believe that Jennie has a record deal at present - which does beg the question as to why not!?!)

The mood of the song is noticeably slowed a notch compared to the overall high-paced tempo of her EP.  There's also more than a touch of late-Bunnymen multi-layered guitar (coincidence? I'll let you decide...)  But more importantly there's a noticeable re-alignment on Jennie's voice; here the vocals are front and centre - there's a real emphasis on the vocals and yet more evidence that she can more than deliver. 

I don't want to keep harking back to Dum Dum Girls, but "Never let you down" leaves a similar and lasting impression to "Are you OK?" It's that moment when you stop taking for granted the vocals and start focusing on them as well as the intricate guitar play that got you interested in the first place.

Can't ask for more than that from a song...

When I reviewed Alvvays' debut album I suggested that repeated listening to their album was akin to overdosing on an indie sugar-rush and being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes as a result. I strongly suspect that I'm going to suffer from similar symptoms here...

Jennie Vee's Bandcamp page

Jennie Vee on Soundcloud