Ida Jenshus
Shallow River
Universal Music

Country-rock chanteuse Ida Jenshus' newest song is a near 15 minute epic and electric piece in three parts. "Shallow River"; "Pt 1: "Shallow River", "Pt 2: Storms", and "Pt 3: Let It Go". The song is partly written in Los Angeles (Laurel Canyon), but is recorded in Propeller Studio, Norway by acclaimed producer/musician Kåre Chr. Vestrheim (who's produced her last two albums). Her backing band this time around count guitarist Alexander Pettersen (from the band The South), bassist Tor Egil Kreken (from Shining), and drummer Pål Hausken (from I Was A King). The song is guided by an artful music video (created by artist Ingunn Ystad, photographer Marthe Amanda Vannebo, who's followed Jenshus for some time - documenting her work, and work in progress, and by Ida Jenshus herself). The video is shot on location in both Norway (in Trondheim, as well and up north, in NOrthern-Norway's wild and beautiful Lofoten), and in the USA (in and around Los Angeles and Nashville). "Shallow River" is the first song off what's to become a new album, with an exciting and somewhat peculiar title: Starting Over Again. Like she does have to do that. Start over again, I mean.

Ida Jenshus has sailed up as one of Norway's finest and strongest country-rock artists since she made her 2008 debut album, Color Of The Sun (which was produced by hyperactive Trondheim producer and former Motorpsycho sidekick and The Tussler International Society member, Lars Lien, plus former Motorpsycho drummer, former HGH member and banjo enthusiast Håkon Gebhardt). Jenshus has further put out No Guarantees (2010) and Someone To Love (2012). This troika of albums of hers has given the 27-year-old a triplet of Norwegian Grammys, which is an impressive record, and is a hard act to follow. Furthermore she has dueted and or collaborated with a number of acts/bands/artists: Chip Taylor, Paal Flaata (ex-Midnight Choir), Sugarfoot (former Dipsomaniacs' / Deleted Waveform Gatherings' Øyvin Holm's Trondheim based C&W combo, feat. bass player Bent S. from Motorpsycho), The South (another Trondheim based C&W rock outfit), and she's performed in front of a highly impressed The Eagles.

"Shallow River" is a deep dive into solid and electric 1970s era mellow country-folk rock (hey, there's even instrumental hints of Led Zep in here, especially during Part 1, "Shallow River", but also inside Part 2, "Storms"), heavily influenced by American acts of that time. A warm flow of guitars and organs, rolling, soothing drums.. like, the opposite of war drums. Jenshus's voice is warm, angel-like, smooth and heartfelt. Where "Shallow River" is about threading waters, "Storms" is sort of a storm warning. "Let It Go" is the ...redemption, sort of. A real revelation. Like some Linda Ronstadt or a Emylou Harris on a rock-flow. I guess we can expect great things to come with the next album. This is the big sound, and a big song from Jenshus and her players (with lyrics co-written between Jenshus, Pettersen, Vestrheim and Kevin Salem). Neat and playful stuff.

Copyright © 2014 Håvard Oppøyen