by Jon Piotrowski (@visioncults)
Make no mistake about it, Jehnny Beth is one of the most dynamic and dominant women in the world of modern rock. Her unapologetic charisma defines her music and her bold sense of empowerment elevates her artistic prowess. Best known as the lead singer of London-based post-punk band, Savages, she garnered quite a bit of buzz with the group after a rousing Coachella performance in 2013. Prior to that, Beth and longtime companion, Johnny Hostile, had released two records and a handful of singles as the highly underrated lo-fi duo, John and Jehn. Sporadically, she has collaborated with high- profile artists such as Trentemøller, Julian Casablancas, Gorillaz, and Bobby Gillespie of Primal Scream. As if she wasn’t already busy enough, Beth has also found time over the years to land two French film acting roles, start her Pop Noire record label with Hostile, and is currently the host of Apple Music’s Beats 1 Radio Show, Start Making Sense.
Her debut solo album, To Love Is To Live, is a vivid departure from the jagged angularity of previous projects. While still written and delivered with an innate punk ethos, Jehnny Beth is now fully exposed, drenched with vulnerability and a refreshing candor. On the track, “Innocence” she states frankly, “And there’s the guilt of course / ‘cause I was raised Catholic” - a phrase that rings true with its permanence, her words like a tattoo as she belts them out. Fully accepting her imperfections, Beth has the undeniable knack for connecting you to her own detachment.
If you happen to be a Peaky Blinders fan, then you might have already gotten a hint as to the magnitude of Beth’s shattering new sound, as the ferocious track “I’m the Man” was originally heard on the show’s fifth season late last year. To weave the connection to the BBC crime drama turned popular Netflix series even further, the video for the track was done by acclaimed Peaky Blinders writer/director Anthony Byrne, and features a spoken-word introduction by actor Cillian Murphy. That track, entitled “A Place Above” also finds its way on the record.
The maturity of Jehnny Beth’s songwriting is evident by how far she pushes her own artistic boundaries. Joined by IDLES frontman Joe Talbot on “How Could You,” Beth delves into a raucous, chaotic explosion of grinding, frantic electronica. Conversely, “The French Countryside,” the most beautiful and sincere moment on the album, is introspective and stripped down. Guided by Beth’s piano, it is eloquent and tender. She laments, “I’ll be more self-disciplined / I’ll sacrifice for you”. The juxtaposition of these two back-to-back tracks is brilliant and fully displays Beth’s expansive vision.
On To Love Is To Live, Jehnny Beth still echoes the dark, gorgeous howl of Siouxsie Sioux, still broods like PJ Harvey, still flaunts her angsty originality, but now with a whole new realm of instrumentation and emotional power. Her haunting lyricism, unabashed delivery, and charming honesty makes this album a true work of art, and a force to be reckoned with.