JANEY SUMMER - review added 21th April 2009
Album Review: Along The Way (2008)
For fans of: hard rock... and husky female voices
Janey Summer is a UK songstress with a fire in her throat and some propane tanks in her armpits. Her voice is deep and ample with a quivery scratchy nature you could use to shape mahogany. The tone is unconventional but more often than not in tune. Sometimes she hits notes that will send chills down your vertebrae. On other occasions the emitted note is as flat as a flounder pancake and frown-makingly uninspiring.
On balance Janey is, I guess, an average vocalist boasting more in the way of 'character' than out and out talent. However a lot of people in this world have made a lot of money through having 'character'. A lot of them wouldn't know brilliance if it stuck a candelabra up their nostrils.
The music on Along The Way ranges from the distinctly average to the reasonably good. There's little that'll have you pinching yourself to make sure you're awake, but only a few segments will make you want to phone the Samaritans.
'Flame' has a pleasantly hastening vibe. It builds as it lunges forwards and lays a definite notion of urgency. Whether the song ever achieves that urgency is open for debate. 'Seeing You' has a nice enough chorus and is a definite contender for song of the album. Janey occasionally pushes into the realms of greater volume and higher octaves during the track and sounds considerably better.
'Lie Along The Way' sounds achingly familiar and works well. It saunters along the edge of depressing bilge in places, but some well place guitar soloing and lighter singing save the track. Janey again sounds better on 'Kept Me Waiting'. It's another track where she passionately attacks the lyrics rather than sitting back and trying to sound chilled. Angry and lairy Janey good, introspective and moody Janey bad.
There are numerous 'if only' moments on Along The Way - times when you wish a theme or sound had been expanded upon - but few if any of them last more than a few seconds. It's the aural equivalent of an average-looking fat person with a beautiful thin person on the inside. There are glimpses of something remarkable, but there's a fair bit of 'filler' in the way.
Check out... The chorus of 'You Rock My Chemistry'... a song that could be about excellent teaching methods.
Track List:
1. Between Two Worlds
2. Flame
3. Seeing You
4. Lie Along The Way
5. Kept Me Waiting
6. Stranded
7. You Rock My Chemistry
8. Sometimes
Artist's websites: Janey Summer , MySpace
