Vains of Jenna – Lit Up / Let Down

Vains of Jenna – Lit Up / Let Down / 2006 Filthy Note / 10 Tracks / http://www.filthynote.com / http://www.outlookmusic.com / Reviewed 10 November 2006

Vains of Jenna looks like what I would imagine Guns ‘N’ Roses would look like if they were created in the current period, rather than the early eighties. The style of Vains of Jenna leads one to think that the visual similarity may be only one of a number of similarities that the two bands have. For the disc’s first track, “”Don’t Give A Dream”, the instrumentation is of the same gritty, seventies-influenced style. The only thing that is qualitatively different between Vains of Jenna and GNR is that the lead singer’s vocals do not have quite the energy of an Axl Rose.

This does not mean that Axl is necessarily better, but that the styles diverge at this point. The fact that “Don’t Give A Damn” is one of the disc’s longest tracks stunts Vains of Jenna’s momentum slightly, as there needs to be a little more in the way of material in a track that long to keep individuals interested. A track like “Ceased Emotions” shows that Vains of Jenna are much more the descendent of GNR than are direct lineage acts like Velvet Revolver or other acts that were created with the same general influences in mind (such as Buckcherry). “Ceased Emotions” is much shorter than “Don’t Give A Damn”, and it is because of this that one can see this second track as a much more radio-friendly track than it’s immediate predecessor. The band may not be experimenting at the edges of what is considered hard rock, but the well-worn style that they end up playing on “Lit Up / Let Down” is done in such a way that listeners can forgive the band for any transgressions.

Each subsequent track on this album gives listeners more of a reason to pick up “Lit Up / Let Down”. This is shown most with “Hard To Be Vain”. During this track, a very “Use Your Illusion I”-sounding influence comes forth as the band gives listeners a much more heavier low end than GNR ever did with their slightly-tinny recordings. For fans that never gave up on this style of hard rock, what Vains of Jenna does with this album is impressive. If one is looking for the newest and most experimental brand of hard rock, “Lit Up / Let Down” may not serve those purposes. Still, this is a fun album, individuals can play it time and time again, and the band has more than enough gas in their tank to continue on for years, if not decades.

Top Tracks: Hard To Be Vain, Baby’s Got A Secret

Rating: 6.5/10

[JMcQ]