I usually leave it to my mate Steve to review CDs that are given to us, but once in a while something grabs me ear with magnetic fingers. Even Steve woke up from a night of boozing in a dank pub (poor sod) to find out what I was blasting in the living room, and to his shock it was an unsigned artist from the States.
Her name is Jessica Burks, and why this woman doesn't have a major-label deal right now is some sort of a crime.
Picture this, if you will: spiky acoustic riffing with frank, down-to-earth confessions sung by a sweet yet streetwise voice. The 6:41 "Safe Song" knocked me out with its subtly psychedelic shadings. It casts a spellbinding effect reminiscent of Throwing Muses but nowhere near as chaotic; rather, it has a focused beauty in its arrangement, and Burks' vocals are distinct and powerful, floating in an ethereal fashion with the music's hypnotizing rhythm. "Pop Star" is a real charmer, as Burks sings of popularity defined by kissing Madonna. "My So Called Religion" is rainy-day introspection; I will play this in my car the next time I am driving through Manchester, water pouring from the grey clouds.
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It's all too rare that I hear a female singer/songwriter with her own style and perspective, totally different from anybody else out there. You can't compare Burks with her peers. Judging from this CD, she has her own voice, own mind, own vision. Damn straight she does. Bless you, child.
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