JACKIE WEST - Silent Century

A lineup change for the second album by New York singer-songwriter Jackie West. Bassist Nico Osborne is the only survivor from the band that backed her debut “Close To The Mistery”: for the new record “Silent Century” the songwriter has enlisted a new band made up of Dan Knishkowy of Adeline Hotel (guitar and organ), Sean Mullins (drums and synthesizers), Katie Von Schleicher (synthesizers) and Nate Mendelsohn (saxophone) – a more versatile, decisive lineup for an album recorded largely live and often without soundchecks.

Less introspective than its predecessor, “Silent Century” still holds fast to Jackie West's minimalist songwriting: a handful of guitar chords played on loop and tuned in unconventional ways provide the backdrop for vibrant, not always predictable instrumental choices – bass, drums, keyboards and guitars – as natural as they are unusual, a quality that a track like “Course Of Action” makes instantly clear.

The songwriter taps into the finest, most essential poetics of Joni Mitchell with a chill-inducing vocal performance on “These Are Not Sweet Girl”, before retreating into the spiritual magic of Cowboy Junkies on the ethereal “Lovesick Doll”. But unlike many of her peers, she's not afraid to get her hands dirty with scratchy guitar chords that never undermine the melodic grace of “Thunder Ideal”, dueting dangerously with Dan Knishkowy's guitar on the turbulent yet placid “Overlooking Glass”.

Hypnotic, noir-tinged ballads remain Jackie West's expressive strong suit: the slow, Mazzy Star-like cadence of “All Falls Down” and the slightly sharper sweetness of “New Moon” are brilliant examples of this, thanks to writing that's never pretentious and a distinctive guitar style.

Still, it's the nine minutes and thirty-one seconds of "Offer" that stand as the highlight of "Silent Century", a stream of consciousness delivered in a sung/spoken style reminiscent of Bob Dylan/Lou Reed, recorded live and built around a chord progression that deliberately echoes the epic "Sweet Jane", over which Jackie West holds forth with sarcasm and wit on everyday life, on personal and social dilemmas, with an incisiveness that grows with each repetition of the chords, until it tears right through the mind.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

14/04/2026