New Music Critique: AJ Jansen

Production8
Lyrics7
Music7
Vocals8
Musicianship8
7.6

Contact: [email protected]
Web: ajjansenmusic.com
Seeking: Booking and Artist Manager
Style: Singer-songwriter, Country

We’re hearing a mixture of virtues and vices in these recordings by AJ Jansen. On one hand, she’s got a good, rangey voice and is backed by a group of musicians who can really play. We’re not all that high on her original material, however, which lyrically seems superficial and inauthentic. And when it comes to country music, you better be authentic, right? Jansen’s strongest outing, overall, is “Bars, Scars and Old Guitars” where her voice and the entire production (enriched by synth sounds) has a rich, full effect. Once again, however, the song’s lyrics come across as predictable, sugarcoated sass. Seems like a move to Nashville could do wonders for this Connecticut-based artist. No cowgirls in Connecticut!