First Listen: Jenna Moynihan “Woven”

Ever been in a monumentally horrid mood and then you press play, plunge yourself into what’s coming through your headphones and immediately everything feels like a weight lifted? Well, I have and Jenna Moynihan’s record “Woven” is the culprit that is brightening up my day.

The very first track titled ‘Haven’, is a tantilizing ballet of sound as her fiddle work drifts along about the other instrumentation. Light and airy as the wind across a Scottish plain and fresh as the morning dew on a highland farm. Moynihan is described as having a Scottish fiddle style and that is evident in these recordings. You could almost close your eyes, listen, and upon opening them expect to be situated in from of Eilean Donan castle as the fog rises above the water and a lone bagpipe moans in the distance. The music really brings you someplace else.

3 tracks in and things get a little shaken up. As the guitar presses along on ‘Dolina Mackay’ I can feel the energy building and building behind it, just about to burst, but not quite, the hesitance is engaging and delightful as the acoustic guitar and fiddle converse, back and forth, in a joyous exchange. Then it breaks about midway in that anticipated eruption and the dams of sound fracture open and the swell overtakes the listener. Fantastic.

‘O’Sullivan’s March’ breaches the more solemn side of the music. The violin almost cries. There is great depth and dynamic to this collection of songs.

Bad days, be no more, as I have Jenna Moyinhan’s “Woven” in my back pocket ready to combat your woes with soaring fiddles and exciting arrangements that have an ability to lift your mood with each bow across the strings and track that passes through my ears. A wonderful collection of instrumental tunes I will be surely visiting again and again. Beautiful songs.

Jenna Moynihan celebrates the release of “Woven” this Wednesday at Club Passim. She is joined by Allison de Groot and Adrianna Ciccone and you can get your tickets now RIGHT HERE!