Janet Robin/Everything has Changed- (Hypertension Music)
Swaggery Southern country soul burns out of the speakers on the sassy View From Above, the opening track of Robin's fifth album. A former touring member of both Lindsey Buckingham and Meredith Brook's bands, the deserves to be known as more than some side(wo)man and, produced by John Carter Cash (son of JC and JC), this might be the one that opens her up to a wider audience.
Blending acoustic and gutsy rock n roll on songs that deal with the heat of passion and pride, as numbers such as Bow & Arrow, the choppy Clean Getaway and Rumor illustrate, the blues provide the underpinning spirit. But, to show the range of her musicianship, PJ Harvey's This Is Love becomes Skynyrd-like hard rock while the (naturally) Eastern European flavoured Everybody Falls In Love In Prague provides a showcase for her prowess on classical acoustic guitar.
As the solo instrumental CHR Number 137 confirms, she's probably a better guitarist than she is a vocalist, but she delivers the sass and the sensitivity with equally persuasive conviction and her slinky and sensually soulful cover of vintage Orbison hit Dream Baby is positively goosebump inducing.
Mike Davies
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Net Rhythms UK
