Side A: Jillian Jacqueline Album Review

In May of 2016, Rolling Stone Magazine put Jillian Jacqueline on a list of 10 Country Artists You Need to Know… and if you didn’t get to know her then, the time is now with the release of her brand new album, Side A.

The nine song album comes in just under 30 minutes, and the time flies by as Jacqueline’s voice announces its presence on the country scene alongside modern country music making women including: Maren Morris, Kelsea Ballerini, Carly Pearce, and Lindsay Ell.

Keen observers will notice that the nine track album is truly six songs, with three acoustic versions (Reasons, Hate Me, God Bless This Mess) added in. And while we do wish that we were listening to nine or more songs on Side A, the acoustic cuts are truly a pleasure to listen to, so we’re into it.

Note: Jacqueline has Side B planned for early 2018, and if we get another six or more originals, plus some acoustic versions, live versions, or something like that to make it sparkle, we’ll be quite happy with the combined offering from the Chester Springs, Pennsylvania native.

Side A offers chances to sing along and smile, sit back and think, and in the end, a half hour to enjoy new country music. Tracks like Bleachers are catchy and will catch attention with the beat and hook in the chorus, while a song like God Bless This Mess does its best to grab reach out to touch, deep and personal like country music does when it’s doing its best work.

Jillian Jacqueline holds her own on this album, and country music fans will be smart to remember her name as she releases more new music, hits the road to tour across the United States, across the Atlantic in the UK, and if we’re lucky, back to Canada again before too long. Already she’s taken the stage at shows with Dwight Yoakam, Ryan Adams, and counts country legend Kenny Rogers as her road mentor. We’re sure there will be more big names on that list soon.

Jillian Jacqueline, Side A Tracklist

1. Reasons
2. Sugar And Salt
3. Holier Than Thou
4. Bleachers
5. Hate Me
6. God Bless This Mess
7. Reasons – Acoustic
8. Hate Me – Acoustic
9. God Bless This Mess – Acoustic

Listening through this album reminds us of all of the things we love about artists like Morris, Jessica Mitchell, Madeline Merlo, and all of the women in country music that paved the way for artists like Jillian Jacqueline to be where she is right now. It has feeling, wit, fun, and features a voice that we’ve already listened to on repeat without regret. We’re in.

We can’t wait to hear Side B and pair it up with Side A.

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Joshua Murray

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