Jessica Wolff
Para Dice

This is good, is probably how you could summarise my impression of this new album by Jessica Wolff, the Finnish artists who is known for doing extreme sports, stunt work and whatever else extreme. It follows the album I reviewed some three years ago and wasn’t too impressed with; it was pretty ordinary for a person described as pretty extraordinary. In the press material it is stated that the title refers to going against the grain and taking risks to achieve one’s goals, that is a promising statement but as you might deduce from the first words of this text, it isn’t really that way.

This new album follows in the same footsteps as the previous album, although it is more hardrock than pop rock, catchy and radio friendly, direct and simple. Well-produced, with good vocals, but those risks that is referred to in the press material are nowhere to be found in the music of this album. The songs are pretty typical of the kind of melodic rock/hardrock that Jessica is playing and there are no surprises. The variation of songs are more or less the same as the one we hear from other similar artists, the playing time is kept sensible and that is a positive thing.

This album is pretty good, but like the previous one it doesn’t really shine, it doesn’t break from the mold – Jessica and her band takes no risks and without risks there are no real rewards. This album takes the tried and tested paths and gives the same as many other albums before it, it isn’t a memorable album. The tracks are good but there are no standouts, I like the chorus on All the Right Things but that song will be as forgotten as the rest of the album when I am to make a summary of 2020 some months from now. The most positive aspect is that it is a kind of album that you cannot really dislike, it is good just not very interesting.

This summary clearly states that the album is good, but honestly, the terrible and the terrific are more fun than these good but ultimately forgettable releases. I think Jessica will need to risk more, I think that you should dare to loose in order to really win – this album is a pretty bland collection of songs that presses the right buttons to appeal to some. I think the songs work fine as a background noise but they aren’t the songs I would chose to listen to.

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