Summer Cannibals’ Jessica Boudreaux Goes Synth-Pop on Her Debut Solo Album

Fans of her main band might feel a slight jolt from the shiny production and sugary vocal style, but thanks to Boudreaux’s careful study in the art of popcraft, the transition is relatively seamless.

By Pete Cottell

Jessica Boudreaux, No Fury (New Moss)

[SYNTH-POP] Considering the fuzzed-out fury of Jessica Boudreaux's main gig, it's hard to imagine the Summer Cannibals frontwoman would need a different outlet to craft a breakup record. But rather than dial the amps up past 11, Boudreaux retreated to the bedroom to employ a synth-pop sound for her debut solo record, No Fury. Acting as a purging of pent-up emotion than a reluctant rumination on wasted emotional labor, the album turns out to be a fun diversion. Though the tone and timbre vary wildly between one track to the next, Boudreaux's steadfast swagger throughout binds No Fury into a cohesive whole. On tracks like the jagged, disco-tinged opener "Ask Me To" and the solemn slow-burner "Never Get You," her bloodletting comes in service of moving onward and upward rather than stewing over the past. The record really hits its stride halfway through, when Boudreaux eschews her post-grunge grrrl vibe for the pop delivery of Gwen Stefani and Debbie Harry, even dipping her toe into Christina Aguilera territory on "Parts." Summer Cannibals fans might feel a slight jolt from the shiny production and sugary vocal style, but thanks to Boudreaux's careful study in the art of popcraft, the transition is relatively seamless.

See Related: Summer Cannibals' Jessica Boudreaux Wants to Burst the Portland Bubble.

SEE IT: Jessica Boudreaux plays Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., with Candace and Strange Babes DJs, on Sunday, Nov. 5. 8:30 pm. $8 advance, $10 day of show. 21+. Get tickets here.

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