There has always something deliberately wholesome about modern day country music with the current stylistic move away from Hank Williams towards the AOR that old folks still seem to crave taking it even further away from its blue collar roots. Jessica Lynn, for her part, has neatly paralleled the course and speed of the industry with her E “Look At Me That Way” being exactly what a major label executive would look for in an aspiring hit maker.
The title track, for example, is as danceable as anything those near misses like Ashley Monroe or Carrie Underwood have produced and, likewise, “After Party” is the kind of song that takes you and the chorus all the way from the grain store to the after party without even a change of shoes. “Crazy Idea”, on the other hand, is a more determined attempt at individuality with the song’s ear friendliness echoing many more familiar songs and yet providing Ms. Lynn with the opportunity to truly put her heart into it.
Nashville isn’t the place for individuality – unless you happen to be Miranda Lambert – but Jessica Lynn has a commercial voice that might be, for a change, actually worth hearing.