'All I Own' may be Jessica Lynn’s second album, but she’s no newcomer. She’s been keeping up an intense touring schedule while sharing the stage with some of country’s biggest names: Loretta Lynn, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley to name a few, and quietly building up a reputation, which has seen the press around the world hailing her as a country superstar in the making.
Her bio could almost be straight out the country-music songbook, with financial issues and a routine medical procedure that nearly wrecked her career (she had to record the album in 10 minute slots due to vocal constraints). Despite life’s ups and downs, she’s not letting anything stand in her way. As her latest single, '16 Miles' says “my mama didn’t raise no quitter”. It’s a testament to her resilience and an inspiration to follow your dreams. Lynn calls it a ‘musical prayer’, one that focusses on the faith and strength from within, no matter what life throws at you. It’s delivered with all the zeal of Southern Evangelism and the chutzpah you’d expect from a no-nonsense Brooklyn Native.
Her sophomore album is 10 tracks of well-polished, energetic country arena rock. The opening bars of ‘Bet On It’ sets the tone with a sassy, poppy guitar riff and juggernaut percussion: this is an album that was born to be performed live.
The title song is sung beautifully, with heart-wrenching openness and passion. It sums up her love for the music. ‘You Save Me’ is a tender duet with Liam Wakefield that almost feels out of place because it’s so delicate, but their harmonies are well-suited. It shows that Lynn is an artist that can turn things right down and keep the emotion intact, and then crank it up to 11.
Aside from the ballads, which are sincerely delivered and never overcooked, the album is lots of fun too. Lynn’s vocal fluctuates between traditional twang and full country-rock belt. ‘Shame’ channels early 00’s Santana with a fruity Latin number while ‘Mixed Signals’ turns up the heat with a country-blues toe-tapper.
The album finishes with ‘I Never Said It’d Be Easy’, another big-hearted county arena rock track. “Here I am searching for a voice of my own” Lynn proclaims.
Despite the issues she’s had, Jessica Lynn certainly has one helluva voice, and there’s an audience out there just cheering to hear these colossal songs on the road.
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