Jennifer Vena Wood -- I'll Be Right Here, Too

Jennifer Vena Wood gives us an album that, quite simply, teaches us how to be. I'll Be Right Here, Too finds Wood coming to terms with life after transition – and surviving cancer. As an avid sailor, nautical themes permeate the album: these are songs of navigating storms, sure, but also learning to ride the waves and appreciate that no sailboat travels in a straight line.

Wood's songs are folksy and intimate, the production making one feel like they are sitting in her living room and humming along. "Hey Hey (Sweet Sweet)" provides a vintage flair – and a reminder that sometimes we can do things just for fun. "Lonesome Sailor's Lament" has a few more spoons than the version recorded on Wood's No Spoon Sessions, but it still feels as timeless as ever.

Wood shines, though, in her trans pride anthems. These group sing-alongs are hair-raising in the best way, an illustration of the power of community. "All The Best Reasons" is a stirring introduction to the album, a gentle but resilient guide to appreciating all that life has to offer. "Four In May (And Two So far in June)" is the one that'll stay with you, though. This Transgender Day of Remembrance anthem is astonishing in the way it rolls grief, anger, pride, and self-love into a seemingly straightforward ballad. And that's a lesson of I'll Be Right Here, Too: just be simple and direct, and you'll get what you need.

Jennifer Vena Wood – Bandcamp, Newsletter, Mastodon