Advertisement

Album reviews Music

Jenny Berkel – Here On A Wire

JENNY BERKEL plays Free Times as part of NXNE June 14 at midnight. See listing. Rating: NNN


Ontario-raised, Winnipeg-based songwriter Jenny Berkel’s debut solo album is by and large lonesome and lonely, to borrow a lyric from one of her songs.

Produced by Matt Peters (Royal Canoe, the Waking Eyes), the songs are underpinned by Berkel’s sparse electric guitar and carried by her smooth voice – pleasant but with a cool, weary huskiness that suits her subject matter.

Despite the chamber-orchestra-style arrangements (cello and upright bass, as well as French horn, organ and percussion) many songs have a similar ambling pace that diminishes the overall emotional impact.

That said, an honest longing is palpable on Come A Long Way, and Berkel experiments with letting the strings take over on Cover My Grave and with poetry on Awaken In Stars.

Top track: Come A Long Way

Advertisement

Exclusive content and events straight to your inbox

Subscribe to our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By signing up, I agree to receive emails from Now Toronto and to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Recently Posted