8 song album
Jennifer Tefft & The Strange may be a bit more alt-rock than alt-country, but good music is just good music; you just know when you hear it. That being said, while this band is definitely on the indie rock side of the fence, there’s a lot that would cross-over to Americana; driving drums, tasty guitar licks and lyrics packed full of emotion and storytelling. Vocalist Jennifer Tefft leads a very talented group of musicians on a rollercoaster ride of rock. Stylistically, Jennifer reminds me of an edgier, gritty Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs). “Papercut” with its Indie-Americana rock feel, conjures up metaphors Sylvia Plath style with lyrics like “You’re like a switchblade, paper thin, you’re a papercut on smooth white skin.” “Second Chase” hit me hard. It feels like a song I’d hear around a campfire strummed out on an acoustic guitar while friends grab their favorite beverage out of a cooler in the tailgate of a pick up truck, just waiting for the chorus to come so everyone could sing along. “Going Out” and its driving drum beats, fiery electric guitar riffs and raw, visceral lyrics have a Miranda Lambert feel to it. The album ends with a bang with “Love and War.” This song will have your body bouncing along with the driving drums and the infectious melodies, singing along to Jennifer Tefft & The Strange’s climatic chorus, asking “Is it you or is it me, Is it Love or War? I cant see”. (Kier Byrnes)