Jessica Lynn

Jessica Lynn offers a compelling jumping on point in the form of latest EP Reimagined.

The country singer hasn’t hit the heights of fame just yet, but talents are pushing Lynn up the musical ladder.

The singer‘s biography boasts of sharing the stage with top names Including, “Brad Paisley”, “ZZ Top”, and famous namesake “Loretta Lynn”.

Frequent readers of Music News might recall that back in 2020, we praised The American for her “poignant” Christmas effort ‘It's Just Not Christmas’.

For those who have not yet jumped aboard the Jessica Lynn musical express, the latest EP Reimagined should have no problem bringing new fans into the fold. Just in time for a forthcoming tour and a debut album.

The four-track offering is simple, but effective. It’s just Jessica and a piano.

The project pulls together songs that fans will already be familiar with. ‘Not Your Woman’, ‘Now Or Never’, ‘Pretty’, and ‘Run To’ all receive stripped back reinterpretations.

Each of the tunes brilliantly demonstrates Lynn’s excellent vocals. Songs come with a pretty downbeat piano lead melody. The pieces sound similar to each other, but act as a sort of neutral canvas for Lynn to mould with her voice.

This is particularly successful on ‘Not Your Woman’. The tale of break up angst finds the storyteller rebuffing her cheating ex.

The New Yorker sings:

“I'm not angry, not even sad, I'm just glad I know by now that you are not my kind of man.”
The singer then conclusively adds:

“I'm through, I'm gone, ain't no more I could say,
It's too late now and I am way too strong to stay…”

The piano makeover compliments the lyrics as they wallow in heartbreak in the early going.
It’s only when the singer cranks up the power in her Pipes, that you believe that the protagonist is finally overcoming the pain.

Lynn’s powerful range serves to counterbalance the soft sadness supplied by the keys. As she belts out ”I’m not your woman anymore”, the listener can hear the protagonist replace hurt with passion, sorrow with determination.

This is a welcome change of pace from the original, which has the more bullish sass of the country twang.

The original version is strong in its own right, with a bubbly, confident musician, who displays shades of Shania Twain within her tone.

What the new version offers however, is the idea that a battle with heartbreak is being waged and eventually overcome.

Jessica Lynn‘s vocals are the true highlight of the record, and the stripped back Production beautifully presents this.

Across the set Lynn demonstrates the ability to provide, tenderness, and power when the moments call for it.

Without the musical bells and whistles of the original versions, Reimagined would fail in the hands of a weak vocalist.

The weight of success is on Jessica Lynn‘s shoulders and she carries it with ease.
‘Run To’ is also a stand out, with Lynn sounding superb as she owns the higher notes. There’s even an occasional tinge of LeAnn Rimes within the American’s delivery.

‘Pretty’ is the only number to let the Reimagined premise down. In of itself the song about unfairly measuring yourself against other people, is fine, yet doesn’t live up to the billing.

Lynn provides an appropriately bereft performance, but this song fails to sound distinct from the original. The reimagined production might strip away the pedal steel guitar, but the pace and tone still remains to similar.

The tune comes across more as a slight tweak then as an attempt to try something distinct.

Overall though, Reimagined is a strong showcase of its country artist. The EP should prove to be a welcoming starting point for those that haven’t heard of Jessica Lynn before.