Ghost Town Jenny at Rasputin Berkeley: Swan Songs

July 1-- Berkeley Rasputin's Sunday afternoon concerts always keep you guessing with what genre of music you might stumble upon while shopping on Telegraph, and if you caught last week's installment you will not soon forget it. Kim Kylland heads the band Ghost Town Jenny with her husband Johann Svensson and three band members; her powerful voice rang out clearly during her engaging performance. Her lyrics and vocals are reminiscent of Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley), and seeing as Lewis is based out of Southern California, it looks like we have our very own talented Jenny songstress here in the Bay Area.  While their simpler strummed ballads have more in common with today's indie-rock darlings, their new album features many danceable tunes that recall Björk and Florence & the Machine.

Their new album 'The Swan' features just the kind of fairytale imagery and spooky yet gorgeous sounds one might hope from such a title (the album cover features Kylland in a white flowing gown looking like she may just take flight over the dirt hills behind her). The band cites influences in mythology, folklore, wilderness and cinema-- Kylland studied Scandinavian Language and Literature at UC Berkeley and Svensson (band member and husband) is from Sweden. Their sound includes danceable tunes as well as simpler strummed ballads. The richness to their music certainly makes me want to don a whimsical gown like Kylland and run through the forest on a starry night, or dance wildly in a grassy meadow around a fire. The band also greeted downtown Berkeley last week at Bec's Bar & Bistro for their Singer Songwriter Showcase, alongside Foxtails Brigade and Benjamin Brown. Check them out tonight in San Francisco TONIGHT (Wed/ July 18,  10pm) at the Love/Haight Records.

by Shauna C. Keddy

visit: www.ghosttownjenny.com

Ghost Town Jenny's self titled album is Available Now at all Rasputin Music locations!