In the music industry, only a handful of genres define the culture of America itself. True to name, Americana may be its most defining, in many ways. It is a genre that focuses on wanderlust, self-reflection, and the concept of finding one’s own home. Americana/indie-rock singer-songwriter Jennifer Silva is an artist who, in her latest album Runaway, exemplifies the crux of what Americana stands for.
Silva’s album, full of tracks about leaving a place once perceived to be home to find another, revelations of thoughts largely hidden, and other self-reflective concepts, hearken back to a great many artists’ works from years past. This album is one for fans of the likes of Stevie Nicks, Cher, and Tori Amos, to name a few. So without further ado, let’s delve into Runaway and see what we can learn from Silva and her true-to-self brand of music.
Track-By-Track Review of Jennifer Silva’s Runaway
The album opens with Runaway‘s eponymous track and one of its singles. It is about a woman fleeing her residence unbeknownst to her kin in an effort to find a new home. However, home is not the only thing she seeks – purpose and meaning play a big role in the track’s lyrics. Is this track a self-reflection of Silva herself? It’s not on us to say, but “Runaway” certainly poses the question in a sense.
The second track, “Rearview Mirror”, is the other single from Runaway. It, too, deals with the idea of leaving somewhere and not looking back for any discernible reason. The track is a slightly more lively piece than the first track, but deals with similar questions, albeit in a somewhat different fashion.
The third track, “Interlude”, is an instrumental arrangement for acoustic guitar. This track is less of a commentary – indeed, there are no lyrics; it’s all guitar – but it serves a profound purpose in this album. “Interlude” sets an aurally aesthetic tone with its licking, twangy chords and poignant tempo, which gives an air of “you’re leaving somewhere now, and that place no longer matters, does it?”. Silva’s guitarist, Jeff Berman, performs this piece with expert intonation of the instrument, conveying the overall feeling, and setting the tone, of Runaway.
Runaway‘s fourth track, “The Devil That You Know”, tells the story of a woman who has been scorned by someone, or somewhere, as it were, to the point where a change needed to be made. There is charm in the place she was, at least, more than the place she’s heading. However, that first situation no longer meets her needs. This story is one that we have all heard time and time again, in many different ways, but Jennifer Silva still manages to make it hit all the notes with “The Devil That You Know” to tell it in a very refreshing way.
“Madame Sonja”, Silva’s fifth track, is a mystifying track that is reminiscent of Cher’s “Dark Lady” in tone but also is more mysterious in its execution. While “Dark Lady” tells of a clairvoyant stealing someone’s lover from them, perhaps under a false occupation, “Madame Sonja” gives no pretense of falsehood. The track’s voice sings of a mystic deer that has pointed the way to Madame Sonja, the titular seer. Madame Sonja then peers into the singer’s mind and creates an empathic bond with her. Delving into the lyrics and tone, this may be a love story, as it were, but one of passion rather than spite. It’s one plausible interpretation that could be incorrect, but it feels right to this author.
Halfway into this album, we are met with “Hold the Rain”, Jennifer Silva’s sixth track. This track is an uplifting piece of positivity in the face of bleakness. Amid the storm that sets the scene at surface-level, we are advised to keep our chin up and stay strong. This is a prolific message, especially in this day and age. It is conveyed with such a strong, soulful vocal performance by Jennifer Silva that it becomes her own.
“Run with the Deer”, the seventh track on Runaway, gives a slower-tempo, more poignant message to its audience. There is no explicit statement saying that this is the same deer that appeared in “Madame Sonja”. My interpretation suggests that if only to bookend those tracks, however. This track’s lyrics utilize very cosmic terms which pervade the track on the whole. This also suggests the kind of aesthetic that a seer might also utilize in their parlor. It’s a slow track, but it hits the senses in a very beautiful way.
The other four tracks are wonderful in their own right. However, we will not spoil anything for you by explaining them. There is strength to these tracks, in the accompaniment, and in Silva’s own vocals. The messages are so important, with the potential for audiences to deeply feel them.
Our Verdict of Jennifer Silva and Runaway
With that, we recommend Jennifer Silva’s album Runaway. It is a journey, as it should be, and it brings us along for the ride. Just don’t forget to look out for deer.
You can listen to Jennifer Silva’s new album Runaway on Spotify now!
