Jen Chapin
Linger

(Hybrid)

First Appeared at The Music Box, March 2004, Volume 11, #3

Written by John Metzger

There are moments on Linger when Jen Chapin’s vocal mannerisms are vaguely reminiscent of her father Harry, but that’s where the similarities end. Instead of crafting aural films, Jen Chapin inhabits emotional snapshots, and rather than delivering standard folk-rock, she incorporates elements of jazz and soul into her sultry ruminations.

Still, her third outing Linger is largely a hit-or- miss affair that drifts between impassioned performances and mediocre ones. Chapin unquestionably is at her best when she conjures Laura Nyro’s cathartic articulations (Me Be Me; Manchild), though far too frequently her songs fall apart when she attempts to contemporize them. Simply put, she follows an alt-rock path that makes her sound like Meredith Brooks or Alanis Morissette when what she really needs to do is embrace her own jazz-oriented inclinations. When she does, her music springs to life, but these glimpses of what could be happen only occasionally for Chapin on Linger. ½

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Ratings

1 Star:   Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2004 The Music Box