From the onset, this offering from Jen Mize gets into a cute, slinky groove, with a smooth bass line rolling over a slight reggae beat and mildly phased and reverbed guitars.

It’s Jen’s voice in the first track ‘Predictable’ that stands out. This track is a surprise (not to judge a book by its cover, but the EP looks like it would be more alt country drenched), with this little nugget of rootsy groove. Jen’s voice is smooth, but not overly so, as there is something hidden underneath - be it past experiences trying to creep out, a little heartbreak maybe, or even a slight nod that she wants to bust out Melissa Etheridge style, however, she skillfully restrains.

It’s the next two tracks, ‘Another Man’s Treasure’ and ‘Fortify My Life’ where the alt-country style appears. This is red-wine and candle music. Smooth, and plenty of dynamics, with the music pulling back at the right moments to let Jen’s vocals carry, then soar into the climax.

However, ‘Humour Me’ is the track where the Blues seeps in, and makes you want to put the red wine down, and reach for the bourbon. The soulful keys and slightly distorted guitar (that’s got to be a Strat in the background, surely) give that oh-so-familiar blues night vibe, and you can really feel Jen as she wears her heart on her sleeve and lets that emotion bleed into her voice.

‘Jerk the Wheel’ adds a bit of dirt to her sound, carrying on with the Blues tones from the last track, but then combining a small amount of grunt into the sound. Personally a stand out track on the EP, and at risk of getting a bit smutty, it makes you want to dry hump something.

Finishing off with ‘Murderer’s Row’, the awesome sound of slide guitar gets things going, and just when you think it’s heading towards a full stompin’ sound, Jen and her crafty crew flip the coin and pull right back instead, with a slow-burning echoed beat, and those soulful keys make their return.

All in all, this a great offering from Jen Mize and her collective, so go see her live (she either performs solo or with her band), and grab a copy of her EP.

Rooster.