Jenny Goodspeed

Country of origin:

U.S.

Type of music generally:

Contemporary folk

Status:

Most recent release, Under The Ash Tree (2008)

See also:

Jenny Goodspeed's site

Jenny Goodspeed's Bandcamp page

Jenny Goodspeed now plays with The Boxcar Lilies

Comparisons:

Joni Mitchell, Dar Williams

Covers/own material:

Own and occasional covers

General comments:

Jenny Godspeed makes thoughtful, often insightful songs. (stjarnell@yahoo.com)

Recommended first album:

Under The Ash Tree is her debut

Recordings:

Under The Ash Tree (2008)

Under The Ash Tree

Release info:

2008—Sheerwater Music—NJ 1127

Availability:

See Jenny Goodspeed's site

Ecto priority:

Recommended

Group members:

Jenny Goodspeed—vocals, harmonies, acoustic guitar (12)

Guest artists:

Jim Henry—acoustic guitar
Richard Gates—electric bass
Eric Platz—drums, percussion
Duke Levine—electric guitar (1, 3, 7, 10, 11), mandolin (1, 6, 12), lap steel guitar (2, 5), National steel guitar (5, 11), banjo (6), ambient guitar (6)
Janet Taggart Blake—cello (2, 7, 8), harmonies (1, 5, 7, 10, 12)
Seth Glier—piano (2, 4, 8), Fender Rhodes (4, 9), Hammond B# organ (11), prepared piano (7), harmonies (10)
Chris Turner—harmonica (6, 7)
Beth Amsel—harmonies

Produced by:

Jenny Goodspeed and Mark Thayer

Comments:

Jenny Godspeed makes folk music in a modern yet familiar fashion. Her observations on relationships come across as honest and her songs are well written. She covers Joni Mitchell's "The Arrangement" and gets away with it. "More than friends" muses about replacing friendship with love and how that affects a couple. "The Good daughter" combines a compelling melody with a smart lyric of looking beyond appearances. The tenderness of "Ease into love" makes it one of the best songs on this very even debut. Godspeed is not breaking new ground but her album has much to recommend it. (stjarnell@yahoo.com)

Thanks to stjarnell@yahoo.com for work on this entry.