Jess Pillmore

Item: Reveal
Author: Jacob Gehman

Reveal

(2005)

Reviewed by Jacob Gehman

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Label Lujo RecordsDecapolisNovember 2005

adult contemporary alternative folk folk rock singer-songwriter

Jess Pillmore is an artist made for compilation appearances, purevolume downloads, or a bridge artist on mix tapes. She has just enough vocal talent, song composition skills, and intrigue over the duration of one of her better songs to lure interest in a listener. She has just enough to cause someone to look her up on itunes or add her to a Christmas list based on one song.

Unfortunately, whatever a single song may offer isn't strong enough to endure for more than several songs on the album. If you heard "Learn To Let Go," which is a song that is kind of intriguing and shows the potential Pillmore has, then listened to the full album, there wouldn't be much else left to be said. No song does more than just enough and while "just enough" can get you by on a single song basis, a while albums worth of just enough wears thin pretty quick.

She tries to be smoky and silky all at the same time and instead of it being a lightning bolt of inspiration, the results just sound muddled and very standard. Her lyrics are decent, but just like that twenty-something novice at a poetry meet she tries too hard. Lines like "I use the shower as a confessional as the steam rises I unleash it all. Apologies bounce off the tile. Add another screw-up to the file," are normal on this album and sound like something I might have written during my middle school years.

Not even the appearance of high profile names like Matt Chamberlain and Viktor Krauss can add highlights to "Reveal." While their instruments are more than capably handled this cd just simply fails to deliver any sort of spark. If you want a smokier, less mainstream Norah Jones consider picking up this album. But this album fails to do anything but whisper undelivered promises.