New Artist to Listen For: Jessie Baylin

While her voice is somewhat reminiscent to a blend of an edgier Carrie Underwood and Lucinda Williams with that country-pop blend, Jessie Baylin's major label debut is much more distinctive. Jessie's second full-length album, Firesight, has her branching out from today's mainstream music with a jazzy and almost folk-like feel on some songs. With performances on past Hotel Cafe Tours as well as this year's Bonnaroo Festival, she is definitely making a name for herself.

First track on the album, "See How I Run" starts off with Jessie singing, "I'm not stopping, waiting on nothing/Moving quickly trying to catch what's mine/What's destined inside the dreamer/I'll be rushing, making a lot of noise" to a catchy guitar and drum beat. A solid first track for what's to come on the rest of her album — strong collaborations with Grammy-winning songwriters (Jesse Harris) as well as various co-writers Mike Daly (Whiskeytown), Mark Goldenberg, Greg Wells and Danny Wilde (Rembrandts) and accomplished musicians including Brett Dennen and Cary Brothers as well as Ryan Adams' drummer Brad Pemberton and guitarist Joe Pisapia of Guster among others.

Each track on Firesight varies from the previous, some tracks sounding jazzy while others have more of a country vibe. "Leave Your Mark" features Brett Dennen on backing vocals and is one of the stronger songs on the album, having a full sound both vocally and musically. The keyboard, guitar and bass as well as percussion and strings round out the track well while Brett's vocals blend well with Jessie's. "Not A Day More" has a faster beat, but darker vocals and even drearier lyrics while "Lonely Heaven" sounds like a jazz number, Jessie's voice accenting but not overpowering the piano feature in the background of the song. Her voice in this track is timeless and could not have been performed any better with the crescendos in her voice in sync with each note played on the piano.

"Tennessee Gem" is more of a folk song with a country twist to it, immensely refreshing with guitar and pedal steel accompaniment while "I'll Cry For the Both of Us" sounds like it could be a track right out of the 1970's. Definitely versatile, Jessie Baylin's Firesight has something for everyone. Due out in stores, Tuesday, June 24th, if you like the tracks below pick it up!

Listen to "Was I On Your Mind" here.
Check out "See How I Run" here for Windows Media and here for QuickTime.
For more on Jessie, check her out on MySpace