Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival – Retrograde
J & R Collective
www.jlynandthegrooverevival.com
10 tracks – 38 minutes
This is Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival’s second full album following an EP Nothing Holding me Down in 2021, followed by a second EP, Gypsy Soul, and a debut album, Astro Gypsy in 2022, which reached #4 on the Billboard Blues Chart. The group has garnered seven Independent Music Award nominations and a nomination for an International Songwriting Award.
Retrograde is defined as looking backwards. Here the title signifies that the band is looking to the sounds of the past and applying them to sounds of the future. Jennifer’s guitar and vocals are supported by guitarist Richard Torrance, drummer Jim Anderson, bassist Nolyn Falcon and Barb Jiskra on piano and keyboards. The ten original songs on the album were written by Jennfer Lyn and Richard Torrance.
They open the album with a proclamation that “We carry with us dreams that never die. We’ll ignite a little spark in the dark. “Light The Fire” “in your heart”. She then says she is “Searching for Solid Ground”, as “I’m lost in the in the whispers of my own mind. I’m tired of walking around half-blind. I’m caught in a whirlwind of fear and doubt. I can’t shake the feeling times running out” as a guitar interlude fires up with a soft organ backing. With Barb’s honky-tonk piano and Richard’s slide guitar lead, Jennifer determines, “It ain’t the world’s gone wrong, You’re Just a “Sucker for the Pain”.
A crying guitar drives a soulful ballad with Jennifer making the plaintive plea “Will you be the “Refuge” for my soul” “if the walls start falling down and there’s no one around and I’m standing at your door”. Jim’s drums drive her wanton desires as she declares “There are things that you do that make me want to / I want to “Do Bad Things to You”. “Soul Saver” is a soulful blues song featuring Barb’s organ and Richard’s easy guitar as she tells him “I was lost in the darkness. Searching through my sadness and misery. Then you took my hand, smiled and said come along with me”.
But she then dismisses him and advises “Your “Baggage” won’t fit in my suitcase”. as she expounds “I got your message last night. I didn’t call you back. I didn’t want to fight. It’s the same old story with the same old news. Whining and moaning just singing the blues”. She concludes that story by declaring her desired independence with “I don’t care if he’s coming back, I got his “’59 Cadillac”. “Breaking Chains” features a guitar interplay between Richard and Jennifer and a further declaration of her independence as she tells him “I’m done with gritting my teeth instead of speaking my mind. You’re just a little sucker puncher. Yeah, you reap what you sow. And everybody knows the times are changing”.
A smooth love song ends the album with Richard’s tremolo guitar flowing along as she says she would “Do It All Again” even though she cites “I’m just the dreamer who got nothing in return. Standing in the ashes where our love burned.”
Blues history is refined for a modern sound with Jennifer’s solid, soulful vocals and the backing of a talented band.
