Indie Workshop

Jessica Peters had me within the first 25 seconds of Blue Cotton Skin.

Instantly, I thought of Heather Duby’s 1999 debut, Post to Wire. Which is great. There’s a lot of stuff to choose from in this female fronted/electronic/pop genre but few lean towards the subtlety and depth that Duby did. Most just really like Portishead and Bjork, if you want to be honest. While those are really great influences, adding other elements seems to be the necessary step to set you apart.

Petracovich’s added element is folk. While there’s no denying that’s been done before, perhaps best by Beth Orton, this album is good enough to be distinct. Quieter and with less electronics than Orton or even Jem, this album definitely sounds like it’s sprung from the heart of a folk singer. Peters, once a “girlie folk” singer according to her website, still retains some of that open wound appeal and organic sound that fans of that genre would like but there’s also a great blend of electronics, keyboards and dreamy instrumentation.

Peters’ vocals stay in a pretty tight range for the most part but it suits the music just fine. Her vocals definitely find their niche, careful to stay within it as not to disrupt the balance. And while she probably couldn’t sing circles around Orton or Duby, her voice does have a youthfulness that theirs lacks.
Track two, Fall From Trees, is probably the best track on Blue Cotton Skin, although it’s certainly hard to pick. It’s a very dark track that still retains the organic, breeziness found in the rest of the album. It’s a great example of her sound.

From the handclaps on track three to the loungy feel of track seven, Petracovich has changed it up enough on this album to keep my ears perked. So, check it out…turn it up, close your eyes, and learn how to mellow out. - Steph