Album Review: Catherine Feeny & Chris Johnedis

Catherine Feeny & Chris Johnedis (Fluff & Gravy)

By Casey Jarman

[FOLK SOUL] Early in her career, Catherine Feeny had what seemed like a pretty straight shot at a life of recording safe, folky pop tunes tailor-made for licensing success. But she chose growth over security, and a decade of strange bedfellows and Occupy protests later, she's a much better songwriter for it. This collaboration with jazz drummer Chris Johnedis opens with three fantastic songs: The minimal, Fiona Apple-ish "Against You"; a coffee-shop R&B cut about privilege and the prison-industrial complex called "Girl's Got Pockets"; and the absolutely haunting, almost-whispered "Afraid." Not every risk pans out. "White Flight" is over-churched and bites off more than it can chew, while "Harm" is a bit cute and predictable. Overall, though, it's a fantastic outing—not to mention an excellent pairing—from a songwriter who continues to push herself and build a discography that should make both Feeny and her adopted home of Portland real proud.

SEE IT: Catherine Feeny & Chris Johnedis play the Old Church, 1422 SW 11th Ave., with Sama Dams and Like a Villain, on Saturday, April 25. 7:30 pm. $12. All ages.

WWeek 2015

Casey Jarman

Casey Jarman

Casey Jarman is a freelance editor and writer based in East Portland, Oregon. He has served as Music Editor at Willamette Week and Managing Editor at The Believer magazine, where he remains a contributing editor. He is currently working on his first book. It's about death.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office.

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