Itch (JennyCo, 2001)

It has been said in this age of fewer and fewer record companies, as the big names steamroll like Imperialist machines over the landscape of the industry, that independent music is dead. Jenny Kerr is here to tell you otherwise. After years of successful live performances, this San Francisco based singer, songwriter and musician ups the ante with her second independently release.

Kerr is a gifted songwriter, bringing in the traditions of blues and honkey tonk while retaining a singular voice that is honest and strong. Her songs are personal and universal at once, with anthemic stories told simply and well and a balance between vulnerability and ballsy sass. Though backed by a stellar band, Kerr is skilled with a variety of instruments. It is her voice, however, that marks this release a keeper. Thick and rich as delta soil, honed and powerful, Kerr's voice is an instrument itself, whether making you want to raise the rafters or cry in your beer. Who needs a major label?