The JaneDear Girls: The JaneDear Girls

The JaneDear Girls
The JaneDear Girls
Warner Nashville
[Rating: 3.5 stars]

Music City’s new duo, The JaneDear Girls, boldly announce their arrival onto the country music scene with their euphoric self-titled debut. The female twosome’s sound is a breath of fresh air and a welcome addition to the current risk-adverse and cynical musical climate. Their unique brand of effervescent, girl-power country pop belongs somewhere in the musical landscape between Shania Twain and Taylor Swift. Hence, this most definitely will not be well received by traditional country enthusiasts.

They consist of Utah born Susie Brown and Texan Danelle Leverett, who met while independently seeking their musical destinies in Nashville. After writing songs together, the two artists decided to team up as partners, and The JaneDear Girls were born. Shortly after their formation, Muzik Mafia member John Rich took them under his wing and became the girls’ musical mentor, as well as producer of their eponymous debut.

Their album begins with lead-off hit single “Wildflower,” which was released in 2010 and has already earned them an ACM nomination in the Top New Vocal Duo or Group category. The second track “Shotgun Girl,” sounds poised and ready to become the follow up to their preceding hit. “Crank it up Waylon, Willie and Merle / I’m your shotgun girl,” they sing in the energetic tune, which seems destined to become a favorite on summertime radio playlists.

“Saturdays In September,” co-penned by mega-hit writer Jeffrey Steele, is the album’s one and only full-fledged ballad, and includes a hook-laden chorus filled with rich harmony vocals. “In those up-all-night Friday nights / phone calls and long goodbyes / reading and writing love letters,” the girls sing in unison. Other noteworthy tracks include “Pretender,” and the instantly likeable and aptly titled “Sing Along.” The disc is rife with plenty of fiddle, banjo, and cranked up electric guitar throughout the 11 tracks presented here, all of which were co-written by the duo along with some notable songsmiths including Marcus Hummon and Jason Reeves.

It’s a musical party of an album steeped in lyrics concerning affair of the heart topics such as: love, heartbreak and innocence lost, which is delivered with a youthful zest and zeal. Upon first listen it may sound like nothing more than pop fluff, but underneath the layers of production is a collection of carefully crafted gems with an endearing quality that will most likely be gobbled up and revered by its target audience.