JILL JACKSON - Are We There Yet?

Long time readers will recall JILL JACKSON from her days with bands called Hogtied and Jacksonville. She then went on to pop stardom with Speedway, who had a handful of pop hits including “Genie In A Bottle”, which was a Top 10 hit.

But, as Jill says in the publicity for her new album recalls, “Being signed to a major label is an amazing experience when you are 22. But with a major comes the moulding into something you never intended to be. I was touring arenas when all I wanted was to play at The Bluebird in Nashville”.

She has been involved with several projects over the years, including forming a band called “The Chaplins”, inspired by Charlie Chaplin.

Her new album, her 5th, is “Are We There Yet?” , which not only takes us on a personal journey throughout her life, but also encompasses all the various influences she’s picked up over the years.

The title track is inspired by the packing the car for the annual summer holiday trip from Paisley to Blackpool, with one Buddy Holly tape for entertainment. We’ve all been there, and Jill really captures the mood well. I love the simple solo mandolin intro.

The album kicks off with “1954”, the story of her grandparents, who met that year, and closes with “Goodbye”, a song she started when her gran was sick, and finished after she passed. That’s how personal this album is for Jill.

Every track is different. The most Country tracks include “Worries”, which is so catchy, whilst

“Hope And Gasoline” is a moody number, which takes her back to being 17 years old, leaving school, and wanting to meet the world. This is probably the strongest song on the album.

She does have a few softer ballads, like “Sweet Lullaby”, which features folk singer Kathleen MacInnes. It’s a really sweet number, and their voices blend beautifully.

“Dynamite” is a modern upbeat number, which recalls the effect crippling anxiety had on her.

From her Chaplin influence from an earlier project, Jill has a 1930’s jazzy style on a few of the songs, and, I have to say, they’re really irresistibly catchy. They include “My Baby”, “Needles And Thread”, which she refers to as her “Lindy Hop”, and “Finally” which has quite a swing to feel to it.  This style really suits Jill’s vocals.

Jill has really matured as a singer and songwriter over the years. She displays incredible versatility in the material here, some of it recalling quite traumatic times in her life.  Her voice is so pure, it just melts in your ears, and the production, led by the highly acclaimed Boo Heweredine, is just so perfect.

It’s a wonderful album. I cannot recommend it highly enough!