What if there
were music for
your soul? This
Midwest gal
looks like she
sings; free,
and easy, I
can see her
swaying mildly
in a subdued
manor with the
music, enticing
me to listen
. . .
Jen Gloeckner’s
title cut, “Miles
Away, and “Hazy
Sky,”
flow like a
river of untold
memories, rolling
with depth and
a sense of contentment.
“Nothing
Personal,”
will mellow
the mind into
an almost altered
state with consistent
vocals and percussion.
“Glue,”
is calming and
rhythmic. “Clear
the Sand,”
is eclectic,
with flute and
an almost chanting
vocal.
It’s good
music, and there’s
really nothing
better for the
soul than just
plain good music;
guitar, violin,
flute. Add to
that the easy
vocals of a
woman capable
of tranquilizing
the listener
until she is
ready to cut
you loose and
this is a hard
one to pass
up.
Thanks you
for your magical
and powerful
music. I really
enjoyed
the wide range
of styles and
your voice is
awesome. You
are the kind
of Indie artist
that I love
to have as a
Featured Artist
on the show.
-
Laney Goodman;
nationally
syndicated radio
host of Women
in Music.
The mid-west
usually gives
birth to artists
of blue collar
rock and roll....but
this debut CD,
"Miles
Away"...is
not that; it's
so much more.
The whole tone
of the CD, bathes
you in what
I can only describe
as 'warm sunlight'.
From folk to
soft jazz ...Jen's
sultry voice..
brings me to
think of the
days of SADE...such
as on the track
'Glimpse'. But
just as you
are clearing
the smooth sounds
of the tenor
sax out of your
head, here comes
the next track....'Glue'...a
sweet acoustic
melody, which
Joni Mitchell
would be proud
of. Some up
and coming artists
sometimes leave
your head spinning;
with such a
rush to incorporate
different cultural
sounds, such
as this release
does, but this
is where the
talented artists,
such as Jen,
proves that
music composition,
is the true
heart of an
album. Take
this journey...visit
her website...and
let me know
how your trip
went. Don't
forget to make
your requests
for The FeminineGroove
by the friday
preceding the
show on Sundays..LIVE..
11am-Noon...to
hear this talented
singer-songwriter.
This
debut from Iowa’s
Jen Gloeckner
may appear on
a tiny American
independent
so small it
qualifies as
a self-release,
but there’s
sufficient fire
and skill here
to have the
long-established
singer-songwriterly
likes of Joni
Mitchell and
Rickie Lee Jones
looking over
their shoulders.
Like Mitchell,
Gloeckner draws
pictures of
real people
inhabiting real
places, with
real worries
and real joy
in their lives.
The lazy
category is
acoustic-roots,
in truth an
apt description
for the gorgeously
hazy title track,
though there
are easily detectable
debts being
paid to American
folk, slo-mo
jazz and country;
a more apposite
label would
perhaps be dream
pop, but not
for the reasons
you might expect.
Her work sounds
like it has
been drawn in
charcoal and
coloured with
pastels, songs
such as ‘Hazy
Sky’ summoning
an image of
what that sky
must look like
in her dreams,
while the pop
tag… well,
that’s
always been
a contraction
of the word
popular, which
is exactly what
Jen Gloeckner
deserves to
be.
The
Scoop:
An ambitious
and sometimes
startling debut
that displays
a depth of passion
and character
that’s
been sorely
lacking from
Lilith Fair
alumni and descendents
in recent years.
While Gloeckner
never had the
chance to play
the festival—and
I hesitated
to even invoke
its name for
fear of pigeonholing
her—there’s
no doubt that
the average
Lilith fan would
be especially
thrilled to
be introduced
to the rootsy
atmospherics
of Miles Away.
And, let’s
face it, those
fans could use
a new artist
to rally around.
While many of
the old heroines
have sold out,
gone contently
static, or simply
disappeared,
Gloeckner shows
herself unafraid
to take chances
and channel
a variety of
approaches and
emotional ranges.
The bulk of
the press thus
far has been
favorable (even
naively hyperbolic),
and critics
have aptly honed
in on the impressionistic
lyrics, the
lovely arrangements
and the soulful
voice that provides
the connecting
thread throughout.
One element
that I think
has been neglected,
though, is the
aching, smoldering
sensuality of
many of the
songs. Taken
all together,
it makes for
a compelling
addition to
any CD collection.
Each listener
will have his/her
own favorites,
of course, but
there isn’t
a track on Miles
Away that calls
to be skipped,
an impressive
feat for any
album, but especially
one that is
so eclectic.
Highlight Tracks:
“Glimpse”
and “Only
1”
Recording star
Jen Gloeckner
has broken through
to the big time
with her stunning
album Miles
Away. It has
been independetly
released and
Jen has put
together a collection
of 15 songs,
that captivate
the listener.
Miles Away is
a CD that shows
the start of
an interesting
songwriter's
imagination
at work. Mighty
stuff from Jen
Glocckner, we
will hear lots
more of this
talented singer/songwriter
in the future.
The album also
has a lovely
packaging showing
some unusual
photographs.
More great pictures,
news etc. at
the web site.
Jen
plays great
- interesting
arrangments,
well thought
out, easy to
understand and
digest.
There are plenty
of singer/songwriters
out there who
would die to
be able to
playas well
as Jen.
Worth all those
hours hunched
over the maple
back and sides.
This CD
also is well
recorded with
balanced mixes,
a professional
degree of transparency,
everything sitting
pretty much
in its right
place. Nice
too to
hear so much
real instrumentation
in a world where
more and more
CD's are marinated
in samples.
Cool drummer
too. The
songs are quite
dark and there's
the hint of
a storm brewing
somewhere. which
is both unsettling
and sometimes
attractive.
Like an
evening with
a big sky, horizon
to horizon,
warm air, nice
to be out in,
but you might
just get caught
in a downpour.
Hell, maybe
even a Tornado.
(I write this
as an Englishman
with no experience
of such things).
Dark, warm and
dangerous.
Jen Gloeckner's
voice is somewhat
reminiscent
of the great
Carole King
but her textural
sonics and earthy,
rhythmic musicality
hint at a wider
palette and
far-reaching
global influence.
I am very confident
we will be hearing
a lot more from
this talented
musician. Visit
her website
for a sample
of her sound.
That sums
up my first
reaction after
my first listen
to Jen Gloeckner's
debut album,
Miles Away.
As soon as
I finished
listening
to it, I knew
that I simply
had to include
her on my
sampler. This
voice, this
talent, this
woman appears
out of nowhere
with one of
the most beautiful
records I've
heard this
year--if not
longer--and
I simply could
not allow
you to not
hear her.
It was a total
no-brainer
on my part,
and from the
feedback I've
had from those
who have downloaded
her song "Otherside"--which
I recommend
that you download
NOW if you
haven't--I'm
not alone
in being overwhelmed
by her awesome
voice.
If you're
being a bit
reticent about
that hyperbolic
paragraph
and my generally
gushing demeanor,
then let me
give you a
bit of a description
of that voice
of hers. It's
husky and
rough--but
in a good
way. It's
deep yet soft;
it's sensual
and romantic;
it's experienced
yet gentle.
I'm reminded
of Stevie
Nicks, but
only in a
good way.
Don't let
that comparison
scare you
off; despite
her material
and ubiquity
as queen of
the 70s, Stevie
Nicks' singing
voice was
excellent
in her heyday,
and Jen could
easily give
her a run
for the money.
At the same
time, her
voice has
a darker quality
that is reminiscent
of more atmospheric
singers as
Kendra Smith
and Heidi
Berry. But
instead of
thinking that
she sounds
like someone
else, it should
be noted that
she has a
sound that's
all her own,
and she's
set herself
apart from
those she
might be compared
to.
Indeed, there's
a gothic (NOT
Goth!) quality
to Miles Away.
It's dark
and scary
and occasionally
it delves
into fantasy,
but the songs
all have a
really deep
personal touch
to them that
I've not heard
in ages. While
occasionally
her songs
have lyrics
that are fantasy-minded,
the songs
are all about
love and pain
and loss and
life--you
know, the
everyday stuff
that makes
up life. What
seperates
her from others
is her presentation;
she fuses
folk with
equal parts
country, electronica
and jazz--and
on "Clear
the Sand,"
even world
music! Though
it's an impressive
feat that
she performed
much of the
instrumental
accompaniment,
it's even
more impressive
that these
songs never
sound weak
because of
it--a common
malady of
playing all
of the instruments
yourself.
Still, you
can't put
Miles Away
into an easy
box. It's
simply impossible
to do so,
because there's
so much to
love, and
there's so
much going
on that you
really don't
have time
to think about
anyone else
but her. From
the simple
guitar picking
and country
feel of "Spinning
Heads"
and "Mountains"
to the breathless
and ominous
atmosphere
of "Only
1" and
"Nothing
Personal,"
Jen will take
you through
a world that's
all her own.
About the
only moments
I didn't really
go for were
the more fantasy-based
lyrics of
"Nothing
Personal"--with
an Alice in
Wonderland
theme--but
that doesn't
detract from
the utterly
beautiful
arrangement,
and considering
how wonderful
Miles Away
is, it's something
that you could
easily overlook..
Miles Away
is a breathtaking
debut album
from a young
woman who
deserves to
be heard,
and I'm happy
to say that
getting heard
is not going
to be a problem,
because she's
impressing
a lot of people
these days.
You should
give her a
chance and
let her entrance
you. One of
the best debut
records of
the year--I'll
be surprised
if anything
surpasses
it, honestly--and
quite possibly
one of the
best records
of the year.
Miles Away
is simply
wonderful.
Period. End
of story.
