Jenny Mae's 1995 solo debut finds the ex-Vibralux singer/guitarist refining her pop skills and exploring the limits of her stylistic range. Dreamy pop tunes like "One We Kiss" and "Runaway" don't stray far from her former band's sound, but her lo-fi version of Hendrix' "Third Stone from the Sun," the electronic textures on "Sailing Away" and her cover of Billie Holiday's "Don't Explain" prove Jenny Mae's versatility. Though her backing band on
There's a Bar Around the Corner...Assholes features many Ohio punk players, including members from Gaunt, Movieola and the New Bomb Turks, Jenny Mae's sound ends up more delicate and diverse than loud and raucous. The album's main concession to the players' indie/punk roots is its lo-fi sound, which is occasionally too smudgy for the sentiments
Jenny Mae conveys. Still,
There's a Bar Around the Corner...Assholes is an ambitious and mostly successful solo debut. ~ Heather Phares