On her third album (actually her fifth, but the first two were self-released and long out of print), singer/songwriter
Jess Klein adds a dash more pop and polish to the sweetly soulful formula of her previous discs. On 2005's
Strawberry Lover, producer and former
Mary Lou Lord guitarist
Marc Copely wisely puts
Klein's voice front and center, while also letting his tight and emphatic studio band (with
Copely himself on guitar) give the songs a firmer and hookier edge, putting less folk and more rock into
Klein's tunes. But
Copely's production also serves the material well, and
Klein's voice -- at its best sounding like the youthful middle ground between
Emmylou Harris and
Maria McKee -- responds well to these surroundings. With melodic accents that suggest she's been listening to a lot of classic R&B and '60s pop,
Klein's tales of love both good and bad hit a fine grace note between passion and craft, and she offers just enough interesting changeups (such as the sexy reggae grove of "Soda Water" and the subtle martial undertow of "Ribbons") to give the set a compelling texture.
Strawberry Lover is a solid and compelling record from an artist who continues to grow with each new album. ~ Mark Deming