With a distinctively raw presence Jennifer Hill returns with a brand-new star-studded studio album. Love Bomb is a striking display of emotion, showmanship, and musical chemistry between all parties involved, spearheaded by the whimsical confidence of an acclaimed frontwoman and songwriter.
Like a dramatic blend of legendary musical divas like Tori Amos, Amy Winehouse, and Fiona Apple, particularly Fiona Apple, Jennifer Hill crafts songs that are loudly personal and unashamedly quirky, fusing prominently melodic songwriting with rhythmically pronounced performances to create songs that are as entertaining and as lively as they are introspective and deeply loaded with meaning, both through honest lyrics and refined songwriting. Love Bomb is a fantastic display of Jennifer’s abilities joined by an illustrious band of seasoned players. Tim Palmieri and June Millington on guitars, Bobo Lavorgna on bass, multi-instrumentalist Bob Schwecherl, cellist Jeffrey Chen, trumpetist Bill Holloman, and finally, legendary producer Vic Steffens at the mixing desk, bringing concise and focused mixes that bring Hill’s burlesque show to life with each distinct performance.
Among the album’s 10 emotionally potent songs we have some clear standouts worth discussing. ‘Gemma Star’ starts the album with a guttural blues stomp that defines a quite distinct sonic fingerprint that is going to remain throughout the album. This fingerprint is of roomy sounds and relatively dry, live mixes that sound like an intimate show being played in a tight space, putting you right there in this dimly lit, smoky bar room with the band. The song itself is a simple bluesy stomp with ample space for ripping guitar leads and characterful vocal harmonies, the tighly spaced, reverb-starved mix is balanced by a restrained arrangement that never overcrowds the tight space available, altogether a show of a band and of a producer in complete control of the atmosphere they are building. The entertaining intro gets taken up a notch with the next song over. ‘Made of Candy’ is where the Fiona Apple influence starts to truly shine. This burlesque piece, defined by its pronounced waltz, rhythmic, creeping piano part, and deafening horn arrangements, showcase a startling boldness from the whole ensemble. Again, a tight mix, and a restrained arrangement, this time with a horns part that’s manic, jazzy, freeform, and unhinged, making this song one of the most unforgettable atmospheres on Love Bomb.
‘Baby Child’ is a striking ballad with more waltz, this time with melodic melancholy in place of the manic horns. A rather tame arrangement defined by its confident drumming and prominent, descending melody in the chords, ‘Baby Child’ is the album’s most colorful cut so far with its memorable melodies and strong, forward momentum. After ‘Erased’, a piano-led, melancholic ballad that is the album’s most sorrowful cut so far we have ‘Can’t Say’, one of the album’s clear standouts. ‘Can’t Say’ shines right from the get-go with its bustling, overdriven rhythm guitars and rich horn section. With one more outstanding melodic character, Hill’s charismatic presence and emotional performance are met with a dramatic composition and a confident horn arrangement that make this song one of the album’s best.
Hill brings the drama and melancholia down with the lighthearted and breezy ‘Waiting For You’. This song’s playful rhythm and syncopated groove beautifully ornament the cyclic chord sequence and Hill’s artful delivery of the vocals. One of the album’s lightest moments, ‘Waiting For You’ is also home to a gorgeous little trumpet solo that’s just sublime. ‘Civilized’ comes next with one more distinct soundscape. Aptly titled, this cut is defined by a refined and stable beat ornamented by rhythmically steady electric keyboard chord stabs. Even Hill’s performance on ‘Civilized’ is one of the album’s most frills-free. This square-cut piece features a distinct shift in mood between its verses and its half-time chorus groove that gives way to more drawn-out vocal passages and clean guitar lines. The album concludes with the sad and drawn ‘You’ll See’. Based around a piano and cello duet that get supported by the occasional drum fill and by spacious strings arrangement in the song’s later half, this dramatic conclusion to the album ends the album on a rather introspective note.
With lyrics that are consistently meaningful, dealing with issues like abuse and bullying, Jennifer Hill’s songs are not just about empty stories or pretty moods, Hill is not scared of digging deeper into her life experiences to come out with one or two hard-won lessons, and while the music is consistently solid and beautiful enough to warrant full, undivided attention, the words do complete the painting, making Love Bomb a very well-rounded and sophisticated listen.