Faith Healer
Cosmic Troubles (Mint Records)
Faith Healer is the new solo project of Edmonton’s Jessica Jalbert, with a little help from longtime collaborator Renny Wilson, her former band mate in Punk Explosion and Tee-Tahs. Echoes of The Velvet Underground, Ye-Ye French pop and all things summer-of-love give Cosmic Troubles a delightfully familiar yet newfangled-jangled sound.
“Acid” is a cheeky nod to The Velvets “Sweet Jane”, as Jalbert sings about giving away her acid hit: “I don’t want it on my tongue/The last time that we passed it I just hated everyone”. “Fools Rush In” features a woody psychedelic bass high in the mix that could easily pass for a long lost B-side by The Kinks.
Jalbert sings with sweet austerity, bringing to mind a young Françoise Hardy on her anglicized albums. The guitar is jangly, the organ is warbly, and each and every part sounds perfectly in character. According to a press release, Jalbert and Wilson played all the instruments themselves, all while on a steady diet of ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelic rock and dinners provided by Wilson’s parents (they recorded in their basement).
While the songs can sometimes rely a bit too heavily on style, there are enough gems on Cosmic Troubles to make it a modest kaleidoscope classic.
Rating: ★★★★
