Nashville’s Jillian Kohr has a full, bright sound that is easy to embrace. Drift. Daydream. Delight. Kohr brings her soft vocals, with imaginative range and slightly edgy soul to the five-track EP Free.
The title track paints an uplighting song that could easily perpetuate alongside Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird.” There’s something softer, more Southern-belle, about Kohr’s open diary track. She’s taking the listener on her journey, but at the same time, the melodic guitar bridge and sing-along chorus make the listener derive his or her own story. It’s a charmer.
“Leave the Light On” has a bit more soul. I liked this track, but wanted a bit more of her vocals – the music bed was distracting (in a good way!) but I found her voice take a back seat here.
“Liar Liar” made me understand her personality a bit more than “Leave the Light On.” Kohr delved deeper into emotion, I felt. It stirred me as a listener. I felt the same about “Mockingbird.” She just seemed to let loose on these two songs.
“Wrapped” rounds out the EP. It’s not the standout song, but I enjoyed the journey. Kohr’s range can be intense and soft, and all of these songs showcase her vocal command.
Overall, I’m digging Free. Her mix of bluesy-pop tracks are easy to dive into and Kohr leaves lasting remembrances of emotional songs and layers of emotive responses.
