Jenee Halstead "The River Grace"/"Hollow Bones"

Continental Song City, 2010

more flesh on the bones

• In something of a mini career retrospective, Jenee Halstead has re-released her 2007 solo debut ‘The River Grace’ but this time benefiting from the addition of her new EP ‘Hollow Bones’ tacked onto the end.

• ‘The River Grace’ is highly accomplished and enjoyable, if fairly unremarkable fare. With a sparse acoustic folk and country backdrop throughout, there are traces of Patty Griffin, Joni Mitchell, Gillian Welch and Emmylou Harris throughout, particularly in Halstead’s sweet attractive croon. Standing out, ‘Deep Dark Sea’ almost reaches the depths of atmosphere and menace it aspires to, and sprightly opener ‘Before I Go’ is pleasingly melodic and restrained. Even at her most whimsical (‘Nick Drake’, ‘Skipping Stones’ ) she has an attractive ambiguously melodic quality to her songs that subtly weaves its charm. Of late, Halstead has joined Boston Bluegrass troubadours The Broken Blossoms. It is this experience which has inspired the honing of her songwriting, storytelling and performing skills, and its a re-invigorated Halstead that we see on the five songs that make up ‘Hollow Bones’. ‘Damascus’, with its biblical imagery has a train-like Cash rhythms and a lightning hot band of players behind her you can literally hear her lift her game. ‘Good Lookin’ Boy’ is playful ‘50s rock n roll, and a tint bit like Imelda May. The EP’s title track has a lilting country feel with weeping steel, while ‘La Luna Roja’ sneers with some Buckley-goes-country charm. It seems that Halstead has found her feet on this new material, and with her new band of brothers behind her, she has become a genuine contender.