“These Days” video shoot - behind the scenes!

A few months ago, I made a music video for “These Days” - the slightly melodramatic 2nd single off of “Whileaway”. I approached my incredibly talented photographer friend, Carsten Fleck, to see if he had any interest in shooting the video. Lucky for me, he did! Not only that, he came up with a killer (haha) concept for it. I must admit, I was slightly hesitant to go full force with the suggestive nature of this video, but after much thought and conversation with Carsten, we both decided it would be the right thing to do. 

We shot a bunch of footage at a friends loft space (with the best view in NYC - quite literally). But, in the end, the final uncut tub take was the one we chose to keep. I had been in the tub for 3 hours. Pruney. 

Check out some behind the scenes pictures from our shoot that day (which, by the way, happened to be the only day it snowed in NYC last winter. Interesting fact.). Photos courtesy of Eliza Proctor. 

Check out the video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zRJi5efzSk

Milkboy - PA concert review!

           Last week we found Jennine Hebb playing a quick NYC/Philly 2 night jaunt opening for Gillian Grassie.  Friday she was at the Ardmore, Pa MilkBoy Coffee  The setup was standard chill, non-Starkbucks coffeehouse set up with great surround sound like qualities.  It was first come first serve seating complete with the standard coffee house goodies and BYOB if you thought ahead. 

The Brooklyn based Jeannine Hebb came to town with Tokyo native, Yujin Amano, a fellow Berklee comrad.  Yujin played electric guitar, while Jeannie played her Yamaha CP and manned the vocals!

Jeannine was making her Philly area inaugural performance of her own material.  She mainly played tracks from her recently released full length debut Whileaway, while adding in a selection from her EP, an unreleased track, and even a few covers.  It was a good move to have you interested in both all of her merch table offerings, albeit unnecessary as there was a killer deal of both album & EP or $10!  

The vocals matched quite true to her album, which are quite impressive to begin with (see the Whileaway album review)!  Ironically, her best vocals were on Aretha Franklin’s ‘I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You’.  Meanwhile some album instrumentation were adapted for guitar, while in some cases additional guitar parts were added for the live performances, including a cool effect on ‘These Days’.   Yujin’s guitar solo on Joan Armatrading’s ‘The Opportunity’ was most excellent enough that Jeannine had a momentary lapse and forgot it was her turn sing!

It was a great set by the beautiful songstress.  You would have never known she was battling illness all week, if she hadn’t requested “good vibes … for vocal acrobatics” on ‘These Days’, which she did pull off with no issues.   

To check out a great live version of ‘These Days’ by Jeannine Hebb featuring Yujin Amano
Jeannine Hebb ‘These Days’ @BalconyTV.com

CMJ show review!

Jeannine Hebb: CMJ 2011

“The Rachel Papers” blog mentions “Call Him Out”!

What a nice review of the song/video! Check this out! http://www.rachelpapers.com/2011/09/call-him-out-by-jeannine-hebb.html

I especially love the comment below about my fashion being special. I freaking love the dress I wore for that video. Score.

Another great “Whileaway” review!

Dan McGurk just reviewed the heck out of “Whileaway”. I suggest you go read what he has to say about it: http://mcgurkmusic.blogspot.com/2011/11/jeannine-hebb-wileaway-album-review.html

Another mention! Kate Bush? Kate Nash?

http://www.blog.collectedsounds.com/?p=10419

Wildy’s World review!

One of my fave blogs, Wildy’s World, just gave “Whileaway” a stunning, in depth review! Check it out here: http://wildysworld.blogspot.com/2011/10/jeannine-hebb-whileaway.html

Awesome “Whileaway” review from knoxville.com!

Check it out: http://www.knoxville.com/news/2011/oct/11/knoxville-music-jeannine-hebb-review/?partner=RSS

Jeannine Hebb’s “Whileaway”

“Whileaway,” Jeannine Hebb (Jeannine Hebb)

Jeannine Hebb’s brilliant “Call Him Out” is a sweet-on-the-surface/sour-at-the-core gem of a song that barely hints at the depths of the talents she displays on her new full-length album, “Whileaway.”

Reminiscent of a twisted Lily Allen ditty, the carnival-esque “Call Him Out” finds Hebb gingerly singing along to the spritely flow of piano, the tone of the arrangement a sharp contrast to the emotional desperation of the lyrics, which find the jilted Hebb turning to her friends for support and they’re all, “standing around, their hands in pocket, staring at the ground.”

The instantly gratifying song runs the risk of upstaging the somewhat subtler remaining tracks on “Whileaway,” though listeners who give Hebb half a chance will find rewards throughout the release.

The New York-based native of the Boston area is a remarkably well-rounded singer/pianist/songwriter. She can put a girlish lilt on her voice, or cut to soulful resonance a la Fiona Apple. Her keyboards dive through pop-friendly melodies, but they’re enriched with jazz intonations. And her lyrics are provocative and complex, balancing heartbreak with dark humor.

Hebb sinks into melancholy paranoia on the torchy “I Believe,” pushes herself against the trotting cadence of “Back to Me Again,” flips through an echoing chorus on the sauntering “Goodbye” and turns the word “low” into a multi-syllable refrain on the plunky “Low,” where she also sings, “I’m not going to drown in all your rain and thunder.”

Hebb’s background in musical theater betrays itself in the melodrama as she sometimes gets lost inside herself and/or overindulges in defining herself through her bad relationships. But frankly, excessive self-analysis is just fodder for many fans of her style of music. And Hebb delivers it with freshness and style.

Rating (five possible): 4