Jenny’s previous album, 2006’s ‘Dear’  is a collection that sounds as strong today as it did on release and her low-key approach and considered arrangements are carried over from that album onto ‘Forgive or Forget’. 
In the four years between discs she’s covered most of North America playing shows between her native Canada and the US, and building a solid live reputation.

Although a singer/songwriter, she’s a little removed from the traditional acoustic confines and the whole album is a mixture of styles and influences that fit perfectly around her plaintive delivery and fully formed, mature lyrics.

The nine original songs are led off with an unusual cover of ‘Raining in my Heart’ and that sets the broad tone for the disc, in that her own songs cover the whole spectrum of relationships and the flow of emotions over the passage of time.  Rather than being an introverted, navel gazing exercise, the songs here are aimed at adults and have themes and imagery that will resonate with everyone.

While all this might sound downbeat and introspective, it’s not bitter and it’s not all gloomy and with the breezy ‘Ripple Effect’ and punchy ‘Kind Mirror’ providing good contrast across the album where the emotions are genuinely explored.  Appropriately, the album ends on a positive note with ‘Half Life’ where an optimistic light comes through from any shadows that have been explored earlier.

Musically this is a fantastically rich album, her own guitar is prominent but the range of players and instruments give ‘Forgive or Forget’ real texture and quality – Steve Dawson’s guitar is exceptional in places and Tim O’Brien’s vocals add some memorable harmonies.
This is an album that really delivers on every level, and that reveals its nuances over repeated listens, and these songs of love, disappointment and dusting oneself off and starting off all over again are themes that everyone will be able to relate to.  An excellent, thoughtful album.

Track listing
1 Raining In My Heart
2 There Was Love
3 Day Without Words
4 Final Season
5 Truth And The Eyes Of The Dead
6 Ripple Effect
7 Kind Mirror
8 Cold Kisses
9 Slack
10 Half Life

£12.99