War Dancer

iTunes Review

The songs of Kentucky native (and Los Angeles transplant) Jesse Thomas play like she’s lived out more experiences in her youth than most folks do in a lifetime. Throughout her 2012 debut album, War Dancer, her voice inflects with a girlish youthfulness juxtaposed with a well-worn and raspy texture. In the opening song, “Better Geography,” she strums an acoustic guitar over bass and drums while pleading with her muse to consider a long-distance commitment instead of a local convenience. “You I Want” rocks out a bit more, with handclap rhythms pedaling under a gripping melody and Thomas’ voice balancing cuteness with strength, somewhat recalling Juliana Hatfield’s mid-'90s heyday. In more intimate moments like the melancholy “Fire,” Thomas’ upfront vocal performance sounds like she’s serenading you in your living room as delicately fingerpicked guitars chime and sweeping cellos swell behind her. The rootsy “Already Mine” and her lulling “Whiskey While I Wait” showcase some country leanings.