The usounds HQ receives about twelve hundred thousand records a month. We hired a small group of writers to write mini-reviews of the lesser known artists because usounds is for everyone, big and small.

This artwork kind of freaks me out

Jessica Penrose Words Become Flesh
Jessica’s MySpace
File under: Redefining Christian
Recommended if you like: Piano, Spirit, Tori Amos, God, Flesh, Glory

The first track “I am” takes me by surprise. The album starts off with an ambulance siren, and I’m thinking, “holy shit, am I at a Manu Chao show?” (I’m not.) Then the lyrics:

Cut the crap
Are you ready to get real
Are you ready to get hurt
Am I ready to bleed?
This may be the most extraordinary journey
Cut the cake (this is a real lyric)

Then when the chorus kicks in Jessica powerfully admits to being a sinner, a liar, a cheater, a saint, a singer, and weaker and stronger than ever. And first I didn’t get the contrast, but then I was like oh yeah… weaker AND stronger. That’s fuckin’ tight.

If you like it, you can go to MySpace and demand that Jessica comes to your city with the “Demand it Box”. So far 3 people in LA and 1 person in Salt Lake city have demanded her so I think there could be a lot more demanding going on.

-Cheddy Johnston