Album Notes

Jennifer Bresnahan's music "crosses boundaries and her voice [is] a raw, evocative alto with great depth and range," says journalist Heather Frye. Her songs are reminiscent of the 70's, but they have a modern edge that is at once solemn and bluesy, yet hopeful and sincere. She has played solo for about the last seven years, coming out with two acoustic albums: "Ten Thirty-Two" in 2000, and "American Girl" in 2002. Her third album, "Ferris Wheel," is her most mature material yet, in terms of lyrics and instrumentation. (The first two albums will be re-released in 2007. A few MP3's and all lyrics can be viewed at: www.jenbresnahan.com.)

Jen grew up in Billings, Montana, where her only musical training was listening to her dad's favorite music (Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac, Tracy Chapman) in the car during road trips. Nobody in her family is musical, so it doesn't really make sense that she would be, especially since she's almost deaf in one ear.

During college in Idaho, she picked up the guitar (at age twenty-one) and began writing her own songs within weeks of her first and only guitar lesson. But she had been singing since she was a toddler and writing a capella songs since high school, before knowing anything technical about music. "I think the melodies were always there, somehow. I sat down one day at the kitchen table and decided, 'I'm going to write a song now.' I wrote some words and just stared at them for at least fifteen minutes. Finally I started snapping my fingers and suddenly the entire melody appeared in front of me in an instant and the song was done. I would sing these songs at parties in little rooms, where I would allow only about six people to listen. I was so shy I sang with my eyes shut the whole time."

Singing was a way for Jen to communicate. She's played in front of crowds as small as six and as big as 1,300. The songwriter is currently playing in Portland, Oregon with her band "Jen and the Ex's." The Ex's are: Jeff Porter on guitar and lap steel, Jeff Koch on bass and mandolin, and Joe Evers on drums. (www.myspace.com/jenbresnahantheexs)

"Jen and the Ex's" play at several venues in Portland, including McMenamins White Eagle, The Green Room, The Mississippi Pizza Pub, The Bitter End Pub, The Laurelthirst, Voleur, The Rock Bottom Brewery, and The Thirsty Lion. Send an e-mail to jenbresnahantheexs@hotmail.com to sign up on the mailing list!

Note: The album cover is a self-portrait, done in acrylic paint on a large canvas. Its inspiration was taken from a Van Duzer wine label. Jen obtained permission from www.vanduzer.com to use the likeness.