If Juno made an album (not the God, the character who gets pregnant in high school), this would be it. Jenny Owen Youngs debut album, Batten The Hatches, has that weird eclectic vibe that has recently become pretty popular. Think Regina Spektor, Nora Jones, and so forth. However, there is no need to write off this young artist as another random MySpace hit with little talent and too many undeserved friend requests. Unlike her fellow weird-voiced peers, she brings youth, honesty, and humor to some pretty heavy topics, adding a freshness to the music scene that has been long awaited since the dawning days of Alanis Morissette.Batten The Hatches offers some oddly titled tracks such as "Porchrail", "F*** Was I", and "Drinking Song." Each is sung with an alarmingly soulful voice of a mature woman, and it is surprising considering that Jenny appears to be a petite little girl. The unexpected maturity in her voice reminds you of the surprise you felt when you first saw a Joss Stone music video. She also has a certain weirdness in her voice, but it's a good one! It's not that over used yodel that comes out lately in all pop music, but more of a real authentic "twang" here and there along with a certain laziness in the music.
