Jennifer Haley’s debut release is an album of carefully crafted, emotionally filled ballads of love, loss and life. Whether she’s singing about a girl’s first crush or the end of a relationship, Haley leaves an impact on the listener. Wearing her heart on her sleeve when talking of love and heartbreak, each song is relatable, an aspiration most songwriters only dream of. In fact, while many of the tracks are piano based, it’s not hard to imagine these songs gaining radio attention or being featured at poignant moments on hit TV dramas.
Music seems to run in the Haley household, as her father sang in a Gospel quartet. Perhaps it is not too surprising then, that the Arkansas native got her start singing in church with her brothers and sisters at an early age. Of performing with her siblings, Haley has said, “We were sort of a Jackson Five. Sort of …except we were white, sang only Gospel music, and our largest audience was about 200 people.”
Haley moved to Nashville after graduating college with $700 in her savings. A few years and a completed album later, the singer-songwriter is well on her way. Like many of her inspirations, Tori Amos, Carole King, Faith Hill, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Haley’s powerful voice delivers her message, but it is the lyrics behind the song that leave the greatest impact on the listener. A solid debut, only wonders what the future will bring for Jennifer Haley.
Beginning the album with “Swing” the listener soon realizes the stellar musicianship put forth on Haley’s release. With moving string features and light percussion, the musical accompaniment fits Haley’s soft vocals effortlessly. The music decrescendos, at the perfect spot, continuously allowing her voice to soar at the appropriate measures.
“Bring It Out of Me,” the first single off the album, has a pop-country vibe to it with Haley’s angelic vocals. The listener can easily feel the heartache within the song. “I never meant those words/though they passed through my lips/I want to be all that you deserve/Honey you bring it out of me.” The slow guitar finger picking helps soothe the lyrics throughout the song.
An edgier track, on “You’re My Weakness” Haley belts, “You are my weakness/I just lose my strength/No resistance/you break right through me/and I keep falling, falling again/Here I am helpless.” Despite her apparent “weakness,” Haley has a certain confidence throughout the song and it is on this track that she truly shines. While the music crescendos well into her singing, the passion she sings with is immeasurable.
Many of the tracks on Haley’s release have a distinctly familiar vibe. “Follow Me Home” begs reference to the soft singing of Faith Hill while the piano-infused “Today” is a beautiful ballad showcasing Haley’s vocals well.
“In the Light of Day” is a heartbreaking tale of a man who leaves his love. “In the light of day/After all of the lies and the tears in my eyes/Does she look the same baby do you feel the same/In the light of day.” With haunting strings and percussion accompaniment, the listener pictures the end of an unfulfilling relationship.
Overall, the 12-track album is a remarkably cohesive release and one that begs continuous attention. A true singer-songwriter, Haley transforms each song into a moving tale that touches the listener. Whether she’s asking a lover not to give up on her in one of her emotive ballads or asserting her independence, Haley entices her listener with a memorable story. And after all, that is the sign of a true singer-songwriter.
Reviewed By Annie Reuter
