Even though the Minneapolis songstress Jillian Rae is a classically trained violinist, her second solo album beams with a bright and sometimes turbulent rock spirit that draws comparisons to some of the best moments of the ’90s in its sincere and dynamic delivery.
After an ambient and slightly haunting beginning to “Temptation,” Rae’s sweet and expressive vocals guide us through a vibrant indie pop opener. “White Walls” follows with a calmer spirit that allows her impressive pipes to shine as the music remains cautious yet creative.
In the middle, “Inebriated” flows with jangly folk like strumming where Americana influences seep in, while “Shades Of Grey” finds the songstress getting sparse and contemplative with great results. “Miserable” continues the slower pace of this portion of the album with a key-heavy and string-friendly ballad, where her forthright wordplay touches on the human experience.
Near the end, the pace picks up with the punchy, hook heavy “Buried Alive,” a tune with plenty of pop spirit but that is also rugged enough for alt-rock crowd and so fluid it could easily make Rae a household name. She exits with the soft and smooth “Wayward One,” another slow burner that’s timeless in its flawless execution.
An artist who cut her teeth playing many genres with groups like The Okee Dokee Brothers, Corpse Reviver, Adam Levy, and Steve Kaul & The Brass Kings, Rae can also hold down the show entirely on her own. Her vast experience and varied career help make I Can’t Be The One You Want To Be an immediately memorable affair.
Put Jillian Rae on a list alongside Haley Bonar, Rachael Kilgour, and Bad Bad Hats as Minnesota artists that everyone should be paying close attention to, as this is a young woman with a bright, impactful, and glowing career ahead of her.
