Jennifer Gentle
Valende
Sub Pop

Jennifer Gentle is not a girl. Composed of two Padova, Italy natives: singer/guitarist Marco Fasolo and drummer Alessio Gastaldello, Valende is their first domestic release (as they are Sub Pop’s first signed Italian group). Their two previous albums, I am You Are and Funny Creatures Lane, were released individually on Italy’s Sillyboy Entertainment, and together as a double CD under the name of Ectoplasmic Garden Party by Australia’s Lexicon Devil label. All of their albums have been home-recorded. With the self-assurance it takes for two men to carry the guise of being a female solo-artist by name alone, the boys of Jennifer Gentle weave their homebrewed oddity of unique sound, experimentation, deep fried eccentricity, and long-term fascination with Syd Barrett, 13th Floor Elevators, and Joe Meek production techniques into their own psych-pop charm. Jennifer Gentle's unique sound has even managed to awe the enlightened likes of the Sun City Girls and Acid Mothers Temple (whose Kawabata Makato has toured and cut a live radio session with the duo.)

The track “Hessesopoa” explodes like a Flaming Lips inspired once-thought dormant volcano in the midst of its neighboring tracks “The Garden Parts 1 & 2,” reminiscent of renaissance early-evening king and queen dining music. “I do Dream You” is awe-inspiring with its Kinks dirty/controlled edges, balloon screeching solo, organ explosions in tow, this is the song you will put strategically at the end of side B of the mix for the crush that is blowing your mind. I promise you will get brownie points, and more.

Charming musical dementia. Highly recommended for Beatles experimentation lovers, Syd Barrett aficionados, old-school Blonde Redhead lovers, and folks who just like to try new, different, and interesting music. Your flat mates may enter and say “what the hell is going on in here?” but that only means the boys of Jennifer Gentle are working their magic. Part of the beauty of Valende is that even when you are not quite sure what Fasolo and Gastaldello are doing, it is quite apparent they know what they’re doing, and the boys are doing it well. And just for the record, again, Jennifer Gentle is not a girl. -- DA Johnston