Jennifer Hanson - Jennifer Hanson

The album's opener, "Beautiful Goodbye," is representative of the upbeat, electric guitar-driven sound that dominates much of Jennifer Hanson's debut. Yet it's also somewhat misleading, since there's more to Hanson than this somewhat overwrought and generic slice of pop/rock music. While she doesn't quite put a distinctively original, personal stamp on every song, she does demonstrate an impressive command of her craft. Her voice has just the right combination of sultriness and grit, and she avoids diva-style overkill when she emotes. The songs (nine of which were co-written by Hanson) demonstrate a knack for observational storytelling, most notably the tale of a womanizer on "Half a Heart Tattoo" and the recollection of an abused friend on "Travis." Another high point is the ballad "It Isn't Just Raining," which was co-written by Hanson, Mark Nesler, and Tony Martin and originally recorded by Pam Tillis; her rendition of this song, as well as the classic country sound of "This Far Gone," indicates that there is emotional substance to her music despite the slickness of some of this album. ~ Todd Kristel, All Music Guide