Review Summary: Anticipation of beauty.
I’ve been thinking about reviewing this debut solo album by Jenny Hollingworth of “Let’s Eat Grandma” fame for quite a while, but overthinking is often the enemy. I’ve been focused way too much on attempts to analyze how does this album fit into the context of “Let’s Eat Grandma” discography, how does it measure up in comparison with Jenny’s main gig output, and similar pseudo high-brow musings. At some point, however, I’ve realized that if I persisted with this way of thinking, I would have been no better than any control freak of a boss who keeps harassing his employees with job related calls while they are on vacation.
The lady is on holiday! It’s in the name. She totally deserves to take a break from all the grandma eating and try something else for a change. However, as could be expected, this is not your typical holiday album with songs about partying and having not a care in the world. There are some references to leisure activities, such as watching the dolphins or enjoying a summer evening, but it appears that for Mrs. Hollingworth a holiday is, first and foremost, a time for reflection and self-analysis. Musically, the album is a combination of sweet indie-pop melodies with introspective approach characteristic for singer-songwriters. It is reasonably upbeat overall, although a healthy dose of melancholy is, of course, present as well. The general pattern persists throughout the album: it is a collection of vocal-centered songs combining mostly keyboards and guitars in various proportions. The opening duo, “Good Intentions” and “Quicksand Heart,” are the most immediate and catchiest tracks on the album. They should get you hooked instantly with uplifting and addictive tunes and soaring vocals. Jenny’s voice still retains that girlish vigor, but she has matured and has achieved greater control over her vocal melodies and delivery than ever before.
Given the introverted nature of the album, most of the songs here are dedicated to Jenny’s self-examination, sometimes critical and bordering on derogatory, but sometimes also celebratory. Due to that, the album plays as a sort of a guidebook on Mrs. Hollingworth mindset and what makes her tick. We can learn literally what she is made of (“Quicksand Heart”), how she wants (or doesn’t want) to be treated by her partner (“Every Ounce of Me,” “Push”), how she needs something exciting or shocking to happen to really get going (“Pacemaker”) etc. “Do You Still Believe in Me?” is a particularly interesting song in that regard, as it appears to be a statement directed towards Rosa Walton, the other half of “Let’s Eat Grandma.” It seems that through the song’s lyrics Jenny is voicing her doubts on whether their friendship and creative partnership are as important for Rosa as it is for Jenny. At the same time, Jenny honestly admits that Rosa’s appreciation and perspective remain uniquely valuable for her. The lyrics are particularly important overall, although their quality may vary throughout the album. However, since the general sonic palette is established early on and does not undergo any drastic changes later on, it is the lyrical content that defines nuances and distinguishing features of the songs. “These Streets I Know” is full of bitter-sweet nostalgia, while “Dolphins” is downright pastoral. “Pacemaker” is spry and lively, whereas life-affirming nature of the closer “Appetite” is defined by its cheerful refrain “I’m chewing you up, I’m moving on!”
However, the album’s main value becomes apparent only when it is looked at in its entirety, to the point that any description of individual songs that I may provide feels a bit redundant. The most special thing about this album is something that is hard to put into words, but I’ll try my best. Some songs work better than others, but they all invoke a common sensation, namely a feeling that something good is about to happen. I suppose we all get it sometimes, even out of the blue, a sort of premonition that things are about to change for the better. Maybe a new love is waiting just around the corner, maybe we’ll hear some good news soon, maybe we’re just about to witness something beautiful. That feeling does not always prove to be right, but it is a wonderful sensation to experience in the moment. “Quicksand Heart” feels like this hopeful and bright-eyed anticipation of wonder put into music.
Obviously, I have no way of knowing if any creative or personal differences exist between Jenny and Rosa, but if there are any, I suspect the ladies will be able to reconcile them eventually and go back to their usual diet, especially since Mrs. Walton has already provided backing vocals for a couple of songs on this album. At the moment, however, they are content to try themselves out as solo artists with Rosa Walton’s debut LP scheduled to arrive in June. It’s going to be something significantly different from Jenny’s output judging by the one song I’ve heard, and maybe these two albums will help us to gain a better comprehension of the creative process and dynamics of “Let’s Eat Grandma” duo. For now, I can just be happy with the fact that Jenny had a good holiday.
