CD Review: Jen and Abby, “Cannot Rearrange”

So a musician and an actor walk into a Starbucks…

Which could mean one of two things: a poorly-executed joke with a haphazard punchline, or a true-to-life preface to the alt-folk-duo that is Jen & Abby. Jen, the musician, and Abby, the actor, met four years ago on a lucky whim in Los Angeles and have virtually been inseparable since. Their debut album, “Cannot Rearrange”, is an overall variation of mood and tempo that is all at once folksy to the point of vintage Carol King, with an unintentional take on Natalie Merchant and a twist of John Mayer a la “Room for Squares”. Their studio persona is as involved as it is casual, a quality likely to incite those who prefer live performances to crave such an experience – which, incidentally, is the duo’s favorite method of exhibition.

Jen and Abby describe themselves as “a bird and a fish tied together, not by choice, but out of necessity”. This very well could prove as a reasonable explanation for their symbiotic style of composition  – ethereal, with punch; sweet, but honest; quirky, with sizable gall – all without a manufactured redundancy that dooms most promising talent to being played on a loop until the flavor is lost. It’s highly probable that “Cannot Rearrange” will forge a fast and intimate one-sided  relationship between the listener and Jen and Abby. But if there’s anything that can be said about the pair, coveted standing-room-only moments aren’t too far off.

Be sure to check out our interview with them here.

Recommended tracks: “Destroy Me”, “Let Go”, and “Enjoy the View”.

Photo by David Muller