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Jen Porter: Moving On

By Keith Hannaleck

Artist: Jen Porter
Title: Moving On
Genre: Blues, Rock, Adult Contemporary
Label: JJP Productions
Website: www.jenporter.com
Purchase this CD: CD Baby

Moving On, the third album from Chicago-based artist Jen Porter, showcases the singer's sultry, gutsy voice and ability to seamlessly blend rock and roll, blues and country-folk influences into a contemporary sound. Featuring a solid backing band, this collection of songs is polished, down-to-earth, and full of energy, the perfect soundtrack to a dinner party with friends or a night out on the town. Residents of Chicago can easily catch a live performance, as the hard-working Porter plays four to five shows a week around her hometown; for the rest of us, Moving On brings Porter's powerful vocals right to our living rooms.

The album gets started with "Along the Way", a pop-tinged blues anthem that quickly sets the stage for Porter's no-holds-barred vocals and fine piano work.. "Get Out", a driving ode to a former lover, calls to mind the intensity of Fiona Apple combined with the self-sufficient attitude of Alanis Morisette. Other tracks, such as "Aaron's Song" and "Brotherly Love" are softer both musically and lyrically, highlighting Porter's diverse talents as a singer-songwriter. Throughout the album, Porter's technical skill is apparent.

One of the strongest points of Moving On is its blues rock and country roots that sustain and clearly influence Porter's music. The song "Gracie" has a great classic-rock feel with piano work reminiscent of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama". The vocal styling of "Heaven to Me" evokes some of Bonnie Raitt's best work.

Jen Porter is clearly a seasoned and talented performer; Moving On adds another successful album to her already impressive resume. Judging by the rousing quality of this album, I'm sure Porter's live performances are soulful and energetic. Those with the opportunity to see her in Chicago should definitely do so; those not lucky enough to live in the windy city will be sure to put this album in regular rotation on their stereos.

Reviewed - March 24, 2007

Tracks:

01. Along The Way (3:47)
02. Get Out (4:14)
03. Aaron's Song (4:35)
04. Hard Easy (5:26)
05. Gracie (4:36)
06. Heaven to Me (4:25)
07. Brotherly Love (4:49)
08. Thank You (3:55)
09. Pictures of You (5:07)
10. The Way (3:19)

About the Author:

Keith Hannaleck, known as “MuzikMan” is a Journalist specializing in independent and major music reviews and the promotion of artists via the various media outlets flourishing online. He has worked closely with artists, management, publicity directors, and webmasters to provide some of the best and far-reaching coverage an artist could have. Focusing primarily on the internet as a medium for his work, Keith has been a pioneer in the industry changing the way a reviewer with his various talents are used by many artists, PR folks, and labels. He has provided strong and valuable work to labels, artists, and publicity people, writing reviews, press releases, and biographies and much more over the years, giving the people he works with the maximum amount of exposure through several top-notch websites that post his content on their sites.

Hannaleck built and maintained his own website in 1998 while networking and building his reputation through thousands of reviews and interviews, creating a special niche for himself. Through many years of dedication and hard work, he has reached a respected level of competence and knowledge that is frequently sought by the music industry today. Known for his speaking from the heart interpretations of music and being able to put it in layman’s terms for music fans, his work is found everywhere in cyberspace and in traditional print media, from press kits to quotes from reviews in magazine advertisements.