Janet Gardner * Justin James - 'Synergy'

As most will already know Janet Gardner is a name synonymous with the fine art of producing hit records. You only have to look at this fine ladies’ back catalogue to realise her colossal pedigree, back in a time when serious rocking female artists were in danger of being over-shadowed by their male counter-parts. Janet was front left and centre and her powerhouse melodic vocals helped produce a string of hits while in the iconic all female band Vixen that smashed the billboard charts. Who can forget, ‘Edge of a Broken Heart’, ‘Cryin’, ‘How Much Love’ and ‘Love is a killer’ to name but a few. She has of course in more recent times collaborated with her guitarist/songwriter and producer Justin James (who has worked with members of Staind, Collective Soul and Tyketto) on the previous Janet Gardner solo releases to serious critical acclaim. This time around though Justin has of course served his time or apprenticeship so to speak and now basks in the joint billing on the new release ‘Synergy’ under the moniker of Janet Gardner and Justin James. Surely a deserved reward and ultimately the most appropriate title now that they have been a married couple for 4 years.

Now, having listened to ‘Synergy’ a fair few times, nobody should be under the misapprehension that this release is musically stuck in a bygone era, which can sometimes be steeped in nostalgia rather than providing anything new for the listener. No sir, no way this is a new slice of rock heaven with of course a just sprinkling of the 80’s and early 90’s that will grab you from the first listen right to the end as ‘Wounded’ throws out as tasty a guitar intro as you will find anywhere with licks aplenty throughout and changes of pace from Justin’s six string. Trademark vocals from Janet are sublime and surely like the finest of wines she just gets better with age. It does exhibit a Vixen-like throwback sound to it but in a great way with a modern edge and attitude that brings it right up to date! Anthemic? Hell yeah!

‘You Can Kiss This’ possesses a grinding, down ‘n dirty, heavier edge and Janet’s vocals take on a another dimension here with some sassy, sleazy tones on a track that smacks you right between the eyes with one serious up-tempo rocking sound and beat this one just thrashes past you in a blink of an eye. The engine room of Bass and Drums are at full tilt on this track and Justin’s fingers must have been working overtime with all the frenetic energy on display.

‘Rise Up’ starts with a luscious, guitar caressed groove and melodic vocals on a track that still provides a steely edge in places and it’s fair to say that there is a heavier edge to this album than the previous two, as I say that ‘Running To Her’ offers up the softer edge, a hit in any other time, it feels like a with track of yesteryear (think Bad Animals era Heart crossed with Janet/Vixen) it is something of beauty and as radio friendly as you will ever get, in a great way!

‘Lonely We Fight’, has a message for all at the time of lockdown, given that the accompanying video was released with fan submitted pictures and put together with sombre black and white images, some happy and positive but ultimately backing up the message that we are all in this together in some shape or form, it’s all about interpretation in these moments and the song itself backs it up with a powerful vocal from Janet and musically it is another beast of a track, excellently produced and arranged. ‘Say You Will’ is slower emotional track but it clearly shows the differing levels this album presents both vocally and musically and offers the listener a new twist as each track comes along.

‘I Promise’ has a deep-rooted pop-rock sensibility about it in sound and vocals with a dance along factor of 10 and a great outro solo from Justin who has firmly made his mark with some great play on this album which continues here. ‘On A Wire’ flips us back to Vixen days in sound and conviction with gentle but powerful vocals from Janet with some subtle musical turns and keys backing up this softer sounding mid-tempo number. Things are upped with ‘Gone’ and a nice string bending guitar intro leads into a great sing along song with the sass in Janet’s vocals returning for this sizzler, great bass lines as the song makes way for Janet’s gravel toned calls of “Going to a party”, it’s good old fashioned, fun time old school rock n roll with an ending from Janet that reminds me of something out of The Who’s ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’ which if you listen you might just follow what I’m saying. If not then I’m crazy as usual!

‘Flying On Faith’ is a more thoughtful track with keyboards and strings arrangements and represents a true AOR sound which is apparently not even a thing in the USA but nevertheless still fits the bill with a softer rock edge and melodic vocals and synth ending. The ending to this album is pure gold and the fun is sadly about to end with “Talk To Myself’ and if anyone has not seen the quarantine video for this one, where the hell have you been? It’s great fun time lyrics, hair is dirty, smell like dog etc and probably echo’s a lot of people’s experiences of late with the world the way it is. I mean who hasn’t drunk until they are stupid all day long in lockdown, come on you know who you are! The song just epitomises a time that has not been great for most of us but puts a light-hearted take on things that you cannot help but find infectious, you will, I mean will definitely be playing this over and over again. Trust me!

Some people waste their times of opportunity in this life, some find ways of filling their time with new things that they now enjoy that they never even thought they would do before the world went Covid crazy. Janet Gardner and Justin James decided to put together one hell of a new record and that was their chance to grasp the opportunity and they have accomplished something in ‘Synergy’ that they may not have fully achieved to this level should things have been different, who knows? I can’t answer that for them! But what I do know is that this is one hell of an enjoyable release and one of the very best I have had the pleasure of hearing this year and will sit firmly in my top three of albums to date and beyond I am sure. This is tailor-made to kick back to with favourite bottle of whatever and dance until your legs turn to jelly! Hey, it’s also an awesome album to stick on in the car, this is where serious listeners really get to grips with a new record (well for me anyway!) so for you travellers out there this is one for you, stick it on and turn it up!

‘Synergy’ is released on August 7th 2020 via Pavement Entertainment

Track listing.

1 Wounded

2 You Can Kiss This

3 Rise Up

4 Running To Her

5 Lonely We Fight

6 Say You Will

7 I Promise

8 On A Wire

9 Gone

10 Flying On Faith

11 Talk To Myself