Jenny Staniforth @ Couch

Tramlines review of Jenny Staniforth at Couch on July 25th.

Live from the Couch café on Campo Lane, newcomer Jenny Staniforth delivered an afternoon of melodic and mellow music with nothing but her keyboard and vocal chords.

Originating from High Green (not too far from the Arctic Monkeys’ old stomping ground), this teenage songstress is the lead singer of new alternative rock group Eden Haze (also from High Green) but occasionally likes to take a break from her band mates. As a solo artist she carries herself just as well as she does as part of a four-piece band, possessing a distinctive, almost trance-inducing voice along with a raw but soulful sound.

Her set put a new spin on a few classic tunes, the highlight of which being a beautiful version of ‘Roxanne’ by the Police. The electronic piano combined nicely with Jenny’s soft vocals, creating a chilled out style with a rock edge evocative of something like Evanescence. Along with the well-adapted covers, she also played a few original tracks from Eden Haze’s first EP, including ‘Beneath The Mist’ and ‘Diviner’, which work just as well without the full band.

The Couch is the perfect venue for this kind of music, allowing you to sit back and sip coffee while watching and listening in a relaxed atmosphere. The audience on Saturday was modest but welcoming, awarding Jenny with warm applause after each track, and in keeping with the spirit of Tramlines, the enthusiasm and passionate support for live music was definitely present.

Overall, the set went down like a nice glass of dandelion and burdock (which happened to be what I was drinking). She may lack a bit of confidence on stage but this comes with practice for any musician, and I can see this particular musician going far. You can check her out on You Tube, and can also check out Eden Haze’s debut EP “Storm”.