Jenny O. - Automechanic (2013)

Teasing, wistful, and a bit elusive, singer/songwriter Jenny O. shifts between moods and personae on her debut album, Automechanic. Once a New Yorker but now based in L.A., she tries on the slinky gown of a lounge singer, embraces the earthen tones of a folk goddess, and gets into a ‘60s girl-group mode in these tracks, all without losing her sense of humor or essential sweetness. Producer Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty) tailors the sounds to Jenny O.’s vocals with lots of tasty guitar licks and quirky keyboard touches. You can hear strains of everyone from Melanie Safka to Leigh Nash in her girlishly emotive delivery on “Get Lost,” “Dope Van Gogh," and “Sun Moon and Stars.” “Lazy Jane” finds her unwinding to a quietly sensuous groove, while “Opposite Island” frames her in piano-based cabaret colors. While she never truly rocks out, Jenny O. embraces heavier rhythms on “Come Get Me” and “Good Love.” The title track sums up much of her appeal with its cool pop glide and not-quite-innocent lyrics. Automechanic may not resolve all of Jenny O.’s contradictions, but it does present her as a fresh and versatile artist loaded with big-time potential.