UK born Jessica grew up in the US. She returned to England three years ago to create and run with her sister, Vicky, JESSIE WESTERN: a fantastic southwestern lifestyle store on London's famous Portobello Road. Drop by. Say 'Hi!' or visit www.jessiewestern.com for more info. Jessica plays regular gigs in London. Get down to one and listen to her blend of Southern Rock, New Mexican and London Country! Jessica's new album: THREE GOOD REASONS is available now as a beautiful limited edition, matt finish digipack with eight page booklet SIGNED by JESSICA! BUY IT HERE Or call Jessie Western +44(0) 2072292544 to order www.jessiewestern.com REVIEW OF 'TAKE YOUR TIME' from the leading French American Lifestyle Magazine 'Dreamwest': Est-ce que vous revez des grand espaces? D'un autre temps? De New Mexico avec le desert plein de cactus? Si vous dites 'Oui!' Take Your Time, le premier album de Jessica Blake est fait pour vous! Imaginez-vous derriere le volant d'une Cadillac, en train de parcourir ce vaste paysage de de merveille avec Jessica comme guide! Cette fille, elevee avec les Indiens, a quelque chose dans sa voix qui parle d'une liberte naturelle que suelement les voyageurs peuvent compendre. Des le debut de l'album 'Oh Susannah', on est impatient de partir, de commencer ce grand voyage avec elle vers ce monde baigne dans l'histoire du Far West! 'Thank You For the Ride' est un hommage joyeux au couple, le contraire de 'Granite Stone', qui evoque la solitude d'un voyageur qui a laisse le monde derriere lui. Par contre, 'Heart Driven Mind' est un morceau de magie instrumentale. 'You Can Stay' dit simplement qu'on doit choisir de rester ou de parter. Mais qui veut partir quand on s'amuse tellement? 'Got to Believe', est la preuve qu'il faut toujours croire en vous meme. On va franchir les obstacles pendant le voyage dans 'Welcome Hunters', une ode a la joie d'etre artiste et musicien, un peu dans le style de Chrissie Hynde des Pretenders, et vraiment super pour ca! Pour cloturer l'album on vole comme un oiseau dans 'Lonely Bird', bien au-dessus du Grand Canyon pour finir ce merveilleux voyage. Heureusement, cette fois c'etait avec la belle et talentuese Jessica. SOME UK REVIEWS
THREE GOOD REASONS The Future of British Country Music?
England-born and American-raised Jessica Blake spent her early years living on an Indian reservation in Florida before moving to California in her early twenties. She played and toured across America and sold American Native Indian jewellery along the way. She returned to London, England, and opened a south-western lifestyle store with her sister on Portobello Road. She met up with producer Ben Wright and took a trip back to America which brought forth her well received debut album Take Your Time on Puffa Fish Records. Three Good Reasons is her second album on the label.
The opener of the 11 tracks is “You Go Your Way”—a gutsy tell it how it is song about a broken romance with no returns or regrets. The rocky edge really works well. “Colorado, New Mexico” paints the musical picture very well indeed. You can almost taste the clear air and feel the rugged beauty. “Don’t Try This At Home” is a ballsy message.
“Sangre De Cristo” returns to the mountains of Colorado and New Mexico in the most romantic of ways. “Who Do You Love” is an honest love song without any sugar coating just simple directness which is a feature of Jessica’s songwriting. “Dancing With The Dead” is about memories from the theatre of the mind, but I feel that only the songwriter can answer this.
“You’re a New Sky” act as another reminder of Jessica’s Native American influence in an everything is relevant kind of way. There’s no moon and June in this lady’s work just the stark honesty of poetry. “Sleepy Eye Hill” is head on romance without any compromise other than the gentleness of the music. The title track “Three Good Reasons” had me punching the air in agreement.
“Show You It’s True” is another superb love song.”5 O’clock Southbound”, the closer, compounds the love theme and found me wondering could this be the future of British country music. The quality of Jessica Blake is certainly good enough but will it be stifled by the “play something we know” attitude of many of the British fans. Time will tell.
By BRIAN AHERN
Jessica Blake, though born in the UK, was raised on a Native American reservation in Florida. Moving to California Jessica toured the states singing and selling Native American jewellery. She returned to London in 2002 to establish a south-western lifestyle store on the Portobello road and to resume her performing career. “Three Good Reasons” (Puffafish) is the lady’s second release, following up the acclaimed debut “Take Your Time”. Jessica has an excellent country voice which she uses to extremely good effect on the eleven original songs, songs that are simple, readily understood and infinitely enjoyable. The programme opens with the stunning “You Go Your Way”, a story of a relationship that did not work out and on which Jessica understates the sadness to create a painful beauty. And that, really, sets the tone of the album. Throughout, whether the theme is happy or sad, lilting or rocking, Jessica creates just the right atmosphere to draw the listen to the heart of her songs. Checkout; “Colorado, New Mexico”, “Dancing With The Dead”, “Three Good Reasons” and “Sangre De Cristo”. www.puffafishrecords.com
PETE SMITH - The Advertiser (uk)
“Three Good Reasons” will be released in 2007 in support of her March tour of the UK .The songs are in between her influences, never overpowering to be called Southern Rock and certainly nearer the Americana Country vogue popular with female singer songwriters. There's great guitars, fiddle, steel guitar, bass and drums although the musicians, backup vocalists and production details are not included. The punchy “Don't try this at home” and “Dancing with the dead” and the gentler “Show you it's true” are my 3 picks from this most enjoyable CD. Check out www.puffafishrecords.com for more.
GERRY FORD - Country Music and Dance in Scotland. www.cmib.co.uk
This is the second album by British-born singer, Jessica Blake, but the fact that she's spent most of her life in America's South explains why she has that wonderful down-and-dirty sound which somehow escapes most UK girl singers. Apart from listing the words of the songs, the sleeve notes sadly contain no name-checks for the loose and lively band )they really are first-rate!) and we're left to assume, probably correctly, that all the songs are Blake originals. British country singers are regularly criticised for their lack of originality and quality of perfomance, but, if you take time to seek then out, you'll discover that there's and ever-growing number of innovative performers, life Jessica Blake, who could and, hopefully will, breath new life into what has become a very tired scene in the UK. This album is certainly a cut above most recent UK releases. BRITISH COUNTRY MUSIC ASSOCIATION BULLETIN There's a real honesty about this! CLASSIC ROCK SOCIETY www.classicrocksociety.net
Jessica Blake has recorded an album that sounds like it should be any number of country music legends, however, she resides in Londons Portobello Road- although she did grow up on an Indian Reservation in Florida.
The songs here are strong, straight from the heart stuff and range from the mellow “”Sangre De Cristo”, the slow and melancholy “Sleepy Eye Hill” to the poppier “Dancing With The Dead”, the highlight for me is “Don’t’ Try This At Home” whilst “5 O’clock Southbound” is the perfect track too close the album.
Jessica is on tour in the UK over the next couple of months, and I for one look forward to seeing these songs performed live.
Nikk Gunns 4 out of 5
Classic Rock Newswire - www.classicrocknewswire.blogspot.com
Some reviews of Jessica's first album: TAKE YOUR TIME
Jessica Blake last year returned from her idyllic life as a musician/native American jewellery supplier in sunny LA, to set up a country and western shop in London. One day she bumped into producer Ben Wright outside her store. They got together on a personal and professional basis, took a road trip back in the States and came up with this superb collection of country-rock songs. A sparkling debut akin to Tift Merrit's BRAMBLE ROSE. The serendipity of Ben and Jessica's meeting and their mutual love for the California highways is well replicated in their songs. 'Oh Susannah' kick starts the album with a blast of pure sing-a-long country magic - an ache for the open road matching the anticipation of the unknown. 'Her things packed up and ready to go. We're leaving tonight,' sings Jessica, with pace and celebration, while guitars swerve around her brassy voice like headlights on the road. 'Thank you for the ride' is a more metaphorical take on the traveling theme, though equally upbeat and unashamedly happy, as are most of the tracks. 'Heart Driven Mind' seques into a horn garnished adventure under the stars as Jessica's character strays south of the border looking for love. And as the gorgeous acoustic campfire melody of 'You Can Stay' reminscent of Gram Parsons and Emmylou is a neat little repast for the road weary. 'I spent a long time going here and there with no one, now I found you and I am holding on'. It's well worth the trip.
MAVERICK MAGAZINE
'Take Your Time' kicks off with a vengeance with 'Oh, Susannah', a forceful rocker with Beatles-like reverse guitar loops that is a far away from Stephen Foster as you can imagine. The production on 'Take Your Time' is heavily layered and the songs are essentially rock songs. 'Thank You For the Ride' is a jaunty piece with a fair hook and swings amiably, 'If This Is Wrong' has a light, skipping 'Gentle on my Mind' feel, 'You Can Stay' features strummy guitar and a big sing-a-long chorus...Now returned from the States we're promised personal appearances. Check her out for yourself.
COUNTRY MUSIC PEOPLE
Announcing itself with treated guitars, strummed acoustics, harmony vocals and a stomping chorus, this new label and artist makes quite an entrance. It's not easy to meld the straight forward country song templates with alt-country arrangements - 'Oh Susannah' - shows the possibilties, the guitars soaring to crescendo and crashing whilst Jessica concentrates on belting out a good tune. This is music for convertibles; it constantly drives forwards - 'Thank you for the Ride' barely takes a breath between verse and chorus, and the guitar break is the Mavericks with added nandralone. All the songs strive for immediate impact, which is great...another British label and artist to look out for'.
AMERICANA-UK.COM
This is a great recording, even for those of us who don't care for country...'
COLLECTEDSOUNDS.COM
'Jessica Blake takes back the west on her debut CD, 'Take Your Time'. Blake is rearing to go on 'Oh Susannah' and it's a new Susannah but one that you'll be glad to know. 'Thank you for the Ride' is bouncy country and fun. The Title cut 'Take Your Time' eases through with a hint of the celt. 'Got to Believe' may pave the trail for Blake, it's nice; simply put, very nice.
WOMENSRISING.COM
It's worth rushing out to find a copy of Take Your Time
INSURGENTCOUNTRY.COM
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