Jana Hunter

There's No Home

(Gnomonsong)

Record Review by Adam McKibbin

Jana Hunter follows her acclaimed 2005 debut with There’s No Home, another moody and mellow collection of folk songs that fit comfortably into the label landscape of Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic’s Gnomonsong (lest that be misconstrued, though, it’s worth noting that if freak is a false tag for her label bosses, then it’s doubly false for her).  Retaining the homegrown vibe of its predecessor, There’s No Home does have a warmer and more approachable sound, particularly on early tracks like the sweetly harmonized “Babies” and the plaintive opener “Palms.”  That opening stretch is illuminating, showcasing a laid-back loveliness and openness not fully explored on Blank Unstaring Heirs of Doom.  The momentum doesn’t carry through uninterrupted, but there are more pleasures to be had, such as atmospheric title track and the country-dusted sing-along “Bird.”

Hunter has a unique earthiness to her voice; it sometimes tiptoes toward the point of wry detachment, but never goes too far in that direction.  There’s a transitory feel to music and lyrics alike, partially inspired by (or at least written during) her sailboat tour of the East Coast with Peter and the Wolf - an unusual gig that, given its pitchability as a story about people finding ways around fuel dependency, found some legs in the national press.