Search - Jen Cass :: Accidental Pilgrimage

Accidental Pilgrimage -- Lessons in Love

Doktor Krankheit | Newton MA USA | 07/04/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jen Cass's "Accidental Pilgrimage" is brilliant. The whole package -- the singer, the songs, the arrangements, the musicians-- is exemplary.



Jen Cass wrote and sang all ten songs. Their simplicity, understatement, and delivery render them all the more powerful. She has written about love in three ways -- political, personal, and story-telling.



The political songs describe Jen Cass's love of her country. Still they run the risk that Michelle Shocked pointed out about all political songs -- "preaching to the choir" and alienating those who might disagree. But "Dear Mr. President", "Hallelujah", "Standing in Your Memory" , and "I Believe" do not preach. Rather they subtly challenge the listener to think about the issues. They are very optimistic, hopeful songs that reflect America's universal desire to overcome adversity and find solutions.



In "Dear Mr. President", Jen sings as a soldier who has been overseas so long that he is forgetting his family. He just says he doen't think "it's treason to ask for a reason" why he is fighting.



"Hallelujah" is a real toe-tapper filled with lively piano riffs by Jon Carroll. But the lively beat doesn't conceal the irony-laden lyrics. For the "hallelujahs" coming from the churches are to take comfort in fear, guilt, and hate. Just thank the Lord it wasn't "me." But in spite of all the horrible news, Jen Cass manages to give a real reason to sing "hallelujah" -- "refuse to live my life in fear", "stood my ground and dared to speak", by doing "all I could". Then the "hallelujahs" will be deserved.



"Standing in Your Memory" paints a reveting picture of the troubadour ghosts remaining in New York City's Greenwich Village. She recounts her "accidental pilgrimage" to the Bitter End on Bleeker Street. The listener can feel her awe and reverence for Phil Ochs ghost even no one seemed to take an interest in a rebel's dying words at the time. Caroll's poignant piano accentuates the lesson -- that Phil Ochs "was always heard" and still being listened to today. The liner notes show Phil Ochs at Newport in 1966 in a Robert Corwin photo (www.robertcorwin.com) that encapsulates this magnificent song. The notes point out that those interested might consult www.sonnyochs.com to find out more about this "truth-teller in times of dishonesty and disillusionment".



The hopeful "I Believe" immediately catches the listener's attention with the five opening words of the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It is filled with John Jenning's masterful guitar riffs which serve the optimistic "surging tide" where the arrogance and lies will be replaced. In the tradition of Bob Dylan and Pete Seeger, Jen Cass convinces us that "winds of change are blowing".



The four love songs -- "Forever Damned", "Take the Fall", "Faith (Johnny's Song)", "One True Thing" -- recount different aspects of love.



" Forever Damned" has a very similar beat to "Dear Mr. President" with a similar theme of being tricked. In this song, Jen Cass repents for being taken in by the lies. She asks if her capacity for love and trust is forever damned. The next three personal love songs provide the optimistic answer.



In "Take the Fall", Jen Cass falls in love with someone who doesn't even know it. But it's OK to "take the fall". Despite being too shy even to reveal her name, she decides to savour the pure enjoyment of being in love . . . even if it is one-sided. The song ends with a very clever unique "telephone" chorus at end.



In "Faith (Johnny's Song)", Jen Cass gets more down to earth. A forthcoming marriage will take time, strength. Love requires realism and practicality. But, there is still much room for emotional love. Just "look into my eyes, boy", she says. And the Mark Bradford liner cover captures this feeling with Jen Cass looking deeply into the viewers eyes.



The last personal love song, "One True Thing", rounds out the four. She starts by singing of of love nearly lost. Then, she finds true love is all about honesty and caring. It must be genuine. It makes both lovers more when together than when separate.



The two story songs paint pictures and images which will long remain indelibly in the listener's heart.



In "Small Town Boy" Jen Cass maintains the suspense as we follow the journey with Helen and Clyde Cass struggling to survive the 1933 depression economy. While she reassures us that "love was the simplest thing. and it meant everything", it never was certain until the end that love would conquer all. Jen Cass takes us on a memorable journey into her family background. At the end, we feel we are part of her family. Poignant.



"No Reply" is a family story of sorts but not Jen Cass's rather . . . straight out of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho". Jen Cass tells the story of a man who murders his wife from HIS perspective. Although he "gets away with it", his anguish and regret catch up with him in the surprising ending. Listen to the brilliant arrangement and instrumental backing of John Jennings as fate starts to turn on the husband. Listen to this song carefully if you dare! You may have nightmares. Powerful.



You must savor this album. It is strong from beginning to end and, like all albums should, forms a unified whole. Like Jen Cass's brilliant blue eyes on the liner notes cover, "Accidental Pilgrimage" shines brightly from beginning to end. Jen Cass describes love for us -- true love that is totally honest, false love that goes terribly wrong, but most of all love of her country and her family.



And, oh by the way, when you listen to Jen Cass's warm melodic singing, you are not imagining things. Mary Chapin Carpenter does sound a bit like Jen Cass. But perhaps that was just the result of recording with John Jennings in Virginia rather than Michigan."