I liked the approach of this album and when she uses it well, Jenny Lindfors has a wonderful voice. Many people have pointed out that the lack of a decent producer is a problem but I think it is more to do with trying to be individual - which I condone wholeheartedly but not when the music suffers.
The review:
One mantra for life: If you are not with us, you are against us. In this age of the charts being swamped with young female singers, everyone is looking for something a bit different. Irish singer Jenny Lindfors (already labelled folk because her choice of instruments does not include electric guitars and bass) is trying a difficult thing: to be accepted without trying to fit in. Her debut self-produced album 'When The Night Comes' is both an intriguing and frustrating listen.Lindfors has a wonderful deep resonating voice. It is used to great effect on album opener 'Night Time', a brooding bluesy drum-led stomp about anticipation and longing given the onset of darkness. A sultry atmosphere is spoiled slightly by some clumsy lyrics: "Shake it up while you're still young. You only get to live once. Keep it up for years. Nobody watching here..." and "When the sun goes down, let the loving in, let the love ring out. You can do whatever you want to do when it gets darker". As the song heads to the third minute, Lindfors slows things down to let the simple banjo and her voice draw you in. It is one of the best moments on the album but unfortunately all the good work is undone in a second when a torrent of wordless vocals crash in and then an over-the-top ending.
The album's big single '2x1' is bordering on vacuous middle-of-the-road country-pop churned out by the likes of Sheryl Crow. The chorus is horribly sing-a-long without having anything to sing along to. Even though the vocals are fine, Lindfors sounds disinterested and distant. The addition of harmonica does very little. There is a great song in there somewhere about wanting to be with another person but ultimately unsatisfied with the result: "Oh I believe in a love where I can grow with someone. Not believing in some other half. It doesn't feel right to me. It's saying I'm incomplete...". A great message to convey.
Another great song is 'Looming', lifted by an undulating vocal melody even if it does get a bit wordless at times. Eimear O'Grady's cello is excellent, adding depth. 'By The Wayside' tries something similar but never quite achieves the same level of quality. Also excellent is 'Fearful Things', one of the only songs to use a piano effectively. If there is an issue it is with laboured vocals and some obvious lyrics. But you can feel the passion in Lindfors' voice. There are some other fine moments, most notably the simple vocal arrangement of 'Voodoo' coupled with light instrumentation and the ukulele is very effective. The ending is spoiled slightly by too much vocal. 'I Don't Really Want You Here' is mesmerising and deceptively simple, as is closing song 'Light Up' - a beguiling collection of layered vocals. The only problem is it is way too short.
The album threatens to drag in the middle but never really does. It just becomes more inconsistent. 'Lovestage' is one of those songs that ambles and weaves through a tangle of vague but personal lyrics and some thick cello, before another messy vocal ending. As one of the longest songs on the album it feels drawn out. 'Let The Seas Calm' would benefit from a more subtle vocal but is solid enough and 'Timewarp' suffers the same fate - it is great when Lindfors is slow and soft but the opening and the very end, in particular, is way too shouty. 'Play It Away', in spite of more great cello and rhythm, has the same problem.
Jenny Lindfors has made an accomplished debut. Her music has an old fashioned feel, matched by her vocal delivery. It is a matter of debate whether a producer would have added something new and different to the songs or merely get in the way of the flow. The fact that Lindfors produced the music herself makes it all the more personal. But sometimes pride can get in the way and you can benefit from someone else directing when, for example, the vocals are too loud - something that plagues much of the album. Conversely, when Lindfors is on her own (or accompanied by just a Cello or Djembe drum), it tends to yield good results. So it is this limbo which is the problem. You can't be part of something without occasionally dropping into the mainstream and going with the flow. A good debut with the promise of more to come.
-- CS (for Altsounds.com)
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