So across my desk slides the new 6 track EP from Los Angeles based vocalist Jillian Speer entitled “Daggers & Suede”. During my initial research of Speer there were a few lines from his bio that I really liked: Originally hailing from north of Seattle, the singer-songwriter Jillian Speer grew up with music as an integral part in of her life from an early age. Ballet, Tap, Jazz and Modern Dance classes that started at three years old instilled the work ethic for perfection. At nine years old she began vocal lessons and at ten years old she began training in classical guitar. This latest collection of original works and innovative arrangements captures the twists and turns we all face on our journey through life. It’s amazing to see how much the words and the music have changed as we see artists develop before our eyes. For me I think this whole album represents a kind of conclusion many have reach in their lives and thus through Speer’s music. Ok here it goes. It’s through diversity we see true human spirit. As I spun the EP what I heard put a smile on my face. It’s a nice easy flowing record that delivers solid songwriting with a nice rock feel to it. Speer adds her own distinctive voice to this impressive musical backdrop creating an engaging combination of passion and presence mixed with storytelling and emotion. This really shines through on marquee pieces like: the title track and Tracy Chapman remake “Fast Car” But there’s another side to Speer on tracks “Spill” and “fisherman” and my favorite good mood song “Dum Dum Dai” Speer reminds me a bit of Katie Melua, Adele, Duffy, Nelly Furtado, Celine Dion, Rihanna and Gemma Hayes. However you will also hear a side of epic or classical-based pop along the way. If you like the above bands and musical styles you should definitely check out this CD. Speer has a breathtaking look and amazing voice to boot.
This latest and greatest by Jillian Speer is a solid EP release with many feel good grooves with a powerful songwriting feel. At the end of the day Speer stands for good music and her “strong musical spirit” that gives us a fresh glimpse at an amazing artist and takes us back a few years – before everything started sounding like – well like everything else.
URL: http://www.jillianspeer.com/
Buy CD: http://www.amazon.com/Daggers-Suede-Explicit-Jillian-Speer/dp/B00YE9XTSI
Official Rating 4/5 Stars
Jennifer Campbell
