New Music: Jen Olive- I Say Love EP

Jen Olive

You remember when Homer went on a hunger strike against the Springfield Isotopes because they were planning on moving to Alberqurque? Well Jen Olive is from there. That’s fact number one. This ends my list of facts.

Upon hearing the late comers, Marnie Stern described their sound as “weird”. The guitars on this EP sound as though they are played by these beings. This is opinion number one. It may not be the last.

With abstract themes, warped guitar playing, syncopated percussion and world music inspired vocals, it makes for a fascinating, sleepy offering meant as a precursor to her next full length album. Where bands like oOoOO and Oi Va Voi fall short is that they are, at times completely innaccessible and that’s where Olive really hits the ball out of the park (to vaguely carry on the loose reference to baseball I made regarding the Simpsons at the beginning of this review…) is on tracks like Robot Boy and Oh, my fairy flesh where it all melts together to create something too cool for mainstream but too listenable to be considered alternative.

The whole thing’s a great listen but is over within 15 minutes but then it is an EP, it merely serves as testemony to the work that it leaves you wanting more. Fortunately it sounds like we don’t have to wait all that long.