Jill Barber – Mischievous Moon album review

Canadian Sweetheart Jill Barber is a fresh voice who just got herself signed after a gallivant of coffeehouse gigs. Barber certainly is fresh, her voice marinated in romance and sexy confidence. She is smooth, sultry but kind and the combination gives the effect of a warm sweater in autumn. Barber is probably best listened to on night’s end on the couch accompanied by red wine and a sweetheart, in the bathtub or during baking.

She admittedly likes her romance and follows her heart, this is ever-evident in her songs and runs the risk of being heavy on the cheese, and were talking triple creamed brie. Songs like title track “Mischievous Moon” and “Take Me By Surprise” showcase this exceptionally. However we feel more fingernail in track “Tell Me”. The album continues to be jazzy, nostalgic of the finest ladies in music such as Ella Fitzgerald and Blossom Deary with a modern day accompaniment.

Barber’s backing band creates dreamy and sweet sounds that go way over the top, which is both helping and hindering. In “Any Fool Can Fall in Love” helping, in “Steal Away” hindering. Listeners are then hit with a plethora of other romance tunes and you start to get a toothache from all the sweet. Additionally the music gets more suited for an elevator than a jazz club.

Jill Barber’s voice is nice, but safe, she has found a chord that works with her lyrics and stuck to it. Because of this she lacks in spontaneity and power that so many of her heroes’ embody. Listening to the album again would feel about as if I had just eaten a pack of fudge which I am not ready to digest. The lyrics on “If It Weren’t For Loving You” run the risk of making me ill, as it goes against the grain of modern romance while desperately trying to sound French.

For those that can handle over the top romance tunes with the accompaniment of musical backings to drive it all home, check Barber out, everyone else may want to take the album on song at a time.