Emerging singer-songwriter Jennifer Irving has released her debut EP Let ‘Em In. With a multitude of years, themes and producers within the album, the Saint John artist combines her folksy, emotionally-intelligent style with small differences here and there to spice up the selection.
Listeners will notice right away how pristine the sound is; every instrument and lyric is like a warm hug for your eardrum, bouncing around in all of its polished glory. In “Weight,” the clear example of this are the keys and sporadic usage of chord plucks while, interestingly enough, the tempo does most of the heavy lifting in conveying a country vibe.
“Well Enough” introduces a bit of a sombre melody with Irving’s trademark soft, airy vocals. Listeners may notice keys, strings and wind instruments in a track that could be described as deep folk. A beautifully-created piano melody closes out the track and is also worth noting.
“Lines” is the sole synth representative in the EP, as Irving utilizes a synth pad right from the beginning through to the end, and not once does the track cede its atmospheric undertone.
Finally, “Someday” stands out with its slightly more groove-oriented, albeit calming, feel. Listeners will also notice in bits with Irving’s non-verbals vocals just how much emotion her voice can carry even without messages.
“Through my songs, I’m letting people into my thoughts and experiences,” said Irving. “There is definitely a sense of vulnerability in songwriting but I just let go of that fear and here I am letting listeners in and putting myself out there.”
“I suppose I was urged by the thought of what my future boys would think of their mother when she was young, and wondering if she pursued her dreams or overcame her fears.”
With a mission to bring feelings of love, fear and emotional honesty, Jennifer Irving and her wondrous voice certainly have the qualifications to make that mission a success.