An Overview On Phenomenal Nature (studio album) by Cassandra Jenkins

From HoldenM 12/25/2021 10:21

A record that ebbs and flows like the open waters it ponders. Gentle songs that rarely rise above a small crescendo, with Cassandra Jenkins's voice whispering across a 20-plus minutes capped off by a formless instrumental, with production so precise you can hear every performance breathe with perfect clarity. Perhaps there aren't many standout moments or tracks, but it is a hell of an experience

It seems that this is her second album, but I have no idea at all what her debut was about, meaning this is completely uncharted territory for me. First of all, the vocals are a total let down. No charm at all and why is she mumbling? At some points I was wondering if that’s English. There’s a good chance her lyrics are great, but how could I possibly tell? I didn’t like her attitude either, from what I understood she tackles some personal themes, but she is too distant to relate, it’s as if she doesn’t feel it, I’d expect her to wallow in mud so to speak. To compare it with another album I recently listened to, Julien Baker is sooo much better at speaking to your heart, every word coming out of her mouth is an uphill struggle, the pain is so thick you could cut it with a knife - this game will slowly make me an expert into singer/songwriter stuff, who would have thought, lol. The instrumentation is also a victim of the same issue, there’s an argument to be made in favour of going for a more organic sound, there were some synthetic touches that went against the confessional and tranquil mood it was trying to establish. Ok, I start feeling bad, so let’s turn it around by noting some positive aspects of it. One good thing is that it doesn’t overstay its welcome, I can easily picture this being an absolute snoozefest had they gone for two or three extra tracks. Another positive is it sounded kinda fresh, I didn’t spot any blatantly obvious influences, but then again would I be able to do so if there were any, not sure about that, it’s not exactly my area. Furthermore, the drummer does a fine job and I would say is my favorite part of it, even though he stays away from the spotlight, his gentle touch fits with the overall theme, but at the same time he tries his best to keep the spark alive. Finally, The Ramble is a gorgeous closing track, I can’t deny that, actually it was worth listening to this album just for that closer, it elevated the whole listening experience to a higher level.

A dreamy little record. Some moments of Lori Anderson-esque artistry. Not bad at all

From Keatownrodriguez 03/10/2021 22:11

I listened to this album going through a snowy canyon on a sunny day and it was such a fitting first listening experience. Really spacy emotional stuff

From ledaero 02/25/2021 05:32

Stunning album from Cassandra Jenkins. Meditations on grief and isolation, seeking restoration. Josh Kaufman's production is phenomenal.

From Mercury 02/19/2021 19:29

(A really beautiful, at times philosophical, serene singer/songwriter album with just a really peaceful atmosphere and thought-provoking themes.)

This is a sort and sweet, 33 minute and 7 track singer/songwriter album. The lyrics are pretty and beautifully specific, ruminative and consistently gorgeous.

The arrangements are understated and filled with just the right sounds to flesh-out the emotion and vibe of the songs. There are elements of chamber folk/pop, some art pop, lots of more general contemporary folk, and all these beautiful touches are nicely worked in and the whole album is quite beautiful and unified.

By the end of the album I felt slightly more refreshed, slightly more whole and slightly more enriched. Its just a really gorgeous album. Don't have much else to say. Maybe once I've returned a few times to this my thoughts will be a bit more full and abundant. For now after 2 listens its just one of my fave albums of the year thus far. Really solid.