Search - Jenny Owen Youngs :: Transmitter Failure

Youngs and in love.

Stephen Doig | New Zealand | 08/02/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Singer-songwriter Jenny Owen Youngs slipped quietly onto the musical landscape in 2005 with the quirky folk-pop charms of her debut LP Batten The Hatches. Showcasing Youngs' talent for clever, perceptive wordsmithery, Batten The Hatches signalled the arrival of an extremely promising new artist of the Aimee Mann/ Regina Spektor ilk.



Where BTH relied on a more acoustic, stripped-back approach, for her lovingly produced new album Transmitter Failure, Youngs has decided to go electric - to stunning effect. These are dynamic, infectious, musically-sophisticated tunes that pack a huge emotional wallop, whilst also retaining the singers trademark wit and lyrical invention. If there were any justice in the world, Transmitter Failure should propel her into the major leagues of singer-songwriters and into the hearts of more than just a devoted few.



Relationship disorientation is the dominant theme on TF, and on the likes of the vulnerable 'Here Is A Heart' and the intimate, elegant title track, Youngs neatly captures the heartache of love gone wrong. But for me, it's track 9 'No More Words' which provides the most disarming moment. What follows is the sound of a person's fears and insecurities being stripped away by that special someone coming into the artists life "to melt the noise away". The song begins with a distinctly ominous, claustrophobic verse that all but guarantees imminent musical paranoia and discord, before quite unexpectedly opening up into the most heart-melting, breathtakingly beautiful chorus one could imagine. Like sudden shafts of golden sunlight breaking through the darkest of stormclouds. Sadly, in this case, the stormclouds prevail.



Music is a notoriously tricky thing to peg down, and trying to get to the bottom of why a song works or not can often be a largely futile process. When you get right down to it, a song either moves you or it doesn't. Youngs has stated that her intention for Transmitter Failure was to "move people emotionally, but also move them physically". As far as this listener is concerned, she can safely put a great big tick in both of those boxes. Particularly the former, in which her aim has been devastatingly effective.



The leap in quality demonstrated on Transmitter Failure is the kind of thing that gives second albums a very good name indeed, yielding bountiful rewards for faithful listeners with patient ears."

Rock, pop, blues

Zach Scott | Long Island, NY | 06/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'm not one who analyzes music--I react to the Gestalt--the whole. I was very touched emotionally by all the songs on the album--they are songs of great beauty and feeling. I strongly recommend this album."

Great musician, incredible album, poorly mastered

W. Styler | Denver/Boulder, CO | 06/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I must preface this with a declaration of love for Jenny's music. Having seen her in person, and having played "Batten the Hatches" more than is likely healthy, I'm a big fan of her music. In fact, I think I had "Coyote" from Batten the Hatches stuck in my head for several months in a go last summer. So, naturally, I was excited to hear about this new album.



Well, the music is everything I'd hoped for. As always, it's interesting and innovative, "What Beats Within" being my favorite track, "Last Person" a very close second. "Transmitter Failure" is a bit more up front, lively, and full-figured sound than "Batten the Hatches", with a bit less of the delicious melancholy found in tracks like "Lightning Rod", but that doesn't mean it's any worse. Really, it's just its own special little beast, and if you liked Batten the Hatches, Buy it Now. Now. Now.



That said, when listening to "Transmitter Failure", I found myself consistently disappointed with the recording and mastering. Clearly mastered for loudness and FM radio, it didn't translate well to a more closely controlled stereo or headphones, and the dynamic range was pretty tiny in places. Given, "Batten the Hatches" wasn't a terribly dynamic mastering either, but it's still disappointing that such incredible music wasn't given the full chance to shine.



So, it's a mixed bag which wins overall. The music itself is more than a worthy sequel to "Batten the Hatches", but if you're planning to listen on a stereo (rather than an iPod), you'll probably find the mastering on "Transmitter Failure" disappointing. Buy it, but don't put it on the audiophile recordings shelf :)"