New Music Critique: Jesse Lynn Madera

What strikes you right away about Jesse Lynn Madera is the skill she’s invested in crafting arrangements that give her songs a “chamber pop” aura. They are, by turns, elegant and unpredictable. “The Door” features a sad, solemn voice along with a piano-and-strings section that underscores lyrics which dwell on the struggle to persevere after a breakup. The song’s sudden shift to a bolder energy nicely conveys an ultimate message of breakthrough and deliverance. Elsewhere, on the coolly textured “72HVN” and the theatrical “Dante,” the luxurious arrangements tend to overpower the artist’s voice. Perhaps Madera might consider remixing her recordings to better emphasize her lead vocals?