Cassandra Jenkins : My Light, My Destroyer
Cassandra Jenkins’ My Light, My Destroyer is a sprawling sonic journey. Juxtaposing classic roots music instrumentation with synthesizers and samples, Jenkins delivers a listening experience that’s equal parts Joni Mitchell and Peter Gabriel. Her musical roots run deep, and it’s obvious she has steeped herself in all of the right records, while simultaneously developing an aesthetic uniquely her own.
Her third LP, and her first for Dead Oceans, My Light, My Destroyer further develops the production and compositional techniques used on Jenkins’ sophomore release, An Overview on Phenomenal Nature. Each of these albums deftly confronts the challenge of making the digital and the analog feel like old friends. That being the case, listeners ought to rejoice that My Light has even come to fruition, as Jenkins was prepared to throw in the towel had Overview not been such an unexpected success. Both of these LPs function as continuous suites, and should be consumed as such.
Album opener “Devotion” commences with the poignant lyric, “I think you’ve mistaken my desperation for devotion,” something that hits home for anyone who’s tried to fix a failed relationship in fear of what lies on the other side. This track features gorgeous upright bass work that makes one think of Richard Davis’ contributions to Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. From here, Jenkins moves on to “Clams Casino,” a mid-tempo outing that lets her showcase her heartland rock chops, and leads one to think that she picked up a couple of tricks touring with Courtney Barnett.
On “Delphinium Blue,” the record veers suddenly toward electronic sounds, with glitched vocals and processed drums. Jenkins’ almost detached sounding mid-song recitations lend themselves to the almost dystopian quality of this tune, and are in stark contrast to her heartened singing. A brief soundscape interlude titled “Shatner’s Theme” takes the listener to the centerpiece of the record, “Aurora, IL”.
“Aurora” simultaneously confronts both the eternal human condition of pondering one’s place in the universe (“It’s a thin line over the planet, just a thin line between us and nothingness”), and the inherent loneliness of being a touring musician (“The bus left this morning/They took my name off the marquee/How long can I stare at the ceiling before it kills me?”), and unites these two themes to great success. “Betelgeuse” functions as another interlude, with some beautiful sax work amid a dialogue about the constellations. This aural palette is carried over to “Omakase,” an ethereal cut that bears the LP title in its lyrics. This dreamlike ballad is succeeded by “Petco,” a take-no-prisoners rocker that seems to say “last night was nice, but time to wake up and confront reality.” “Attente Telephonique,” another brief soundscape used to string together Jenkins’ indie-rock concerto, segues into “Tape and Tissue,” a moody dirge with masterful work by the rhythm section, in a pocket that so much current rock lacks.
“Only One,” the album’s penultimate track, keeps the groove going with more funky drums and bass interspersed with muted trumpet and some searing single coil lead guitar lines. This creates the perfect framework for Jenkins to stretch her vocal chops, overdubbing harmony parts that sound otherworldly. The rug is abruptly pulled out at the end of the track, with her backing band yielding to Jenkins for her to matter-of-factly sing “You’re the only one I ever loved, the only one I know how to love.”
The album closes with “Hayley,” featuring a masterfully arranged string quartet. In keeping with Jenkins’ astrological slant, it seems with My Light, My Destroyer her star will continue to rise. And having shared the stage with the aforementioned Barnett and fellow indie rock heavyweight Mitski, she more than lives up to the great company she keeps.
Label: Dead Oceans
Year: 2024
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Cassandra Jenkins : My Light, My Destroyer
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