Album Review: Janina Jade - Heart Of Rock N Roll
Reviewed by Carl Black
To say Janina Jade wears her heart on her sleeve would be an understatement. Everything you need to know about her style of music is all in her appearance. Big aviator sunglasses, sleeve tattoos, black Motorhead vest, skinny jeans, belts aplenty around her waist (and they're not there to keep her trousers up) and a guitar played lower than a boy racers body kit.
The songs are short stories and insights into Janina Jade’s heart and soul. They all have a strong guitar riff, strummed with a limp wrist that a man from the cloth giving you an old-fashioned greeting before Covid would be proud of. Running behind the main riffs are frequent solos from guitar virtuoso Jennifer Batten, who you may remember from her work with Michael Jackson and Jeff Beck. Janina Jade’s singing is controlled with plenty of soul. She never gets into second gear as far as her vocals go, showing restrained intensity. The subject matter of the songs tells us that she has a few tales to tell. You won’t be welling up but she does come across as an apprentice to Tim Armstrong or Mike Ness from Social Distortion in the tear factor steaks.
At times the singing can meld into what sounds like yodelling. The guitar solos ripped over the top can sometimes fall in and out of time. But with this type of rock and roll, this is to be expected and it's part of the charm. This was recorded the old-fashioned way. With no click track, and it's certainly has that unpolished charm about it.
Born too late or old before her time? The answer to the question doesn't really matter, I wouldn't say it was good time fun rock and roll as some of the subject matters are obviously very serious to Janina Jade. It's very listenable and if your heart is set on early Guns n' Roses and Rolling Stones with a splash of punk rock attitude, then Janina Jade is a perfect fit for you.
