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Category: Music
Read CD Review
The Jane Shermans, 2007 (Unreleased)
Two weeks ago an advance copy of The Jane Shermans’ new full-length CD landed on my desk. The record has not yet been released, and probably won’t be released until a record deal is negotiated. However, don’t expect a long wait because this debut from The Jane Shermans is the best collection of rock songs that I’ve heard this year.
To be sure, Jared Followill (Kings of Leon) believed that Eulene Sherman’s songs were so strong and infectious (in pre-production) that he agreed to lay down all the bass tracks for the record. The entire line-up includes The Features’ Rollum Haas on drums, Caleb Sherman ..s, and Angelo on guitar. Angelo, whose production credits include Kings of Leon, produced the record and Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo, Joseph Arthur, Josh Rouse) engineered. The end result is a superb hook-heavy rock record comparable to the best of Blondie and The Pretenders that maintains an energetic contemporary indie rock vibe.
Eulene Sherman’s vocal delivery is strong, assertive, and sexy—providing the kind of pissed-off confidence that grabs your attention, keeps it, and leaves you wanting more. She’ll remind you of Chrissie Hynde, Deborah Harry, and ’Til Tuesday-era Aimee Mann—but ultimately Eulene Sherman’s vocals are a sound all her own. Easily as soulful as Amy Winehouse, and as cool as Jenny Lewis, Sherman falls into the rare category of female rocker who reverses the stereotypical roles of rock ’n’ roll, as men will fall in love with her and the girls will all want to be her. Like all great rock ’n’ roll records, sexual energy flows throughout this 11-song collection, and the lyrics often directly address the highs and lows of dangerously passionate relationships.
From the first track’s ("Domino") opening line, "I know that you want me, yeah you do, yes you do" delivered with a tone that will intimidate any man, to track 7’s (One Sip) nod to love in a digital age, "3am, taking pictures for you—something I never do... I’m sending them out, express to you—take it in, take it in," Sherman’s lyrics swell with sexuality. Indeed, although the players on the record rock hard, the real brilliance lies with Sherman’s ability to express love and frustration from a woman’s perspective with magnetic charm rather than coming off as angry or over-dramatic. She uses repetition to her advantage, driving melodic verses and choruses into your head until you submit. And submit you will.
Every song is a gem on this record. You will want to listen from beginning to end, without skipping tracks. The track selection and song placement give the record a natural ebb and flow of energy, closing with the somber "Wonder Where You Are," a slow-dance reflection on the loss of a loved-one that recalls the melancholy moods of Aimee Mann. A few addictive energetic stand-outs include "Somebody Lied," "Young & Hungry," "Sly Stone," and "Now You Know." This record is destined to be on every music critic’s "best of" list when it is released.
The Jane Shermans are gearing up for a few live shows in the Nashville area, the first of which will be September 24th at Mercy Lounge. There are three tracks from the record currently posted on their myspace page. Go check ’em out, and see for yourself. — Vincent Wynne, August 27, 2007
11:11 PM
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