Jordana
Lively Premonition
GRAND JURY
Jordana is at it again with her fourth and latest record, Lively Premonition—and by “it,” I mean writing introspective songs and bringing them to life with zany, vaudevillian music videos. The Maryland-raised, LA-based songwriter teamed up with producer Emmett Kai to recontextualize the yacht rock and Laurel Canyon sounds of the 1970s, giving Lively Premonition a throwback feel with a modern twist. Needless to say, you shouldn’t expect the pop sheen of 2022’s Face the Wall—nor should you yearn for it, as Jordana’s willingness to take steps in new directions keeps her music interesting.
On her 2019 debut Classical Notions of Happiness, we heard a teenager fiddle with lo-fi, self-produced songs embellished with modern bedroom-pop touches. Later, Face the Wall and her 2021 EP with TV Girl Summer’s Over showed us an artist experimenting with pop music and higher-end production. But Jordana leaves that progress behind and reinvents herself with Lively Premonition. It’s not a total throwback to the ’70s, as its marketing makes it out to be. There are inklings of ’90s-era country and modern pop wrapped around Jordana’s guitar doodles and instrumental jam sessions. Her lyrics are poignant and reflective, with her signature absurdity still present. A significant change here is the elevated use of chord progressions, which imbue emotional complexity into her work that wasn’t present before.
Her infectious single “We Get By,” for example, features a catchy chorus displaying this newly unlocked extra layer of complexity in her harmonies which gives the song its edge. A classically trained violinist, Jordana also taps into those skills on the track, showcasing her virtuosity as a musician. “Like a Dog,” though, is the most lyrically interesting from Lively Premonition. The narrator speaks of a toxic relationship—what sounds like the classic destructive, avoidant, and anxious combo—over an upbeat melody. The juxtaposition and tension between the lyrics and melody make the narrator’s denial of the situation much more visceral.
“Heart You Hold” feels like the most throwback among these new tracks, with a guitar intro that could’ve been ripped from a Velvet Underground record. In the chorus we get a total change of energy that’s very pleasing and reminiscent of Crosby, Stills & Nash. On “This Is How I Know,” Jordana combines the aforementioned ’70s folk and 90s pop-country influences with interesting results, sounding like a wistful Emmylou Harris at various points in her career. The “My Idol” demo is a bonus track worth listening to, as well, as it contains floaty, Beatles-esque instrumentals with the vocal character of ’80s bedroom-pop cult figure Linda Smith.
Lively Premonition’s distinct sound is pleasing and lyrically more complex than past Jordana projects. It contains a compelling layer of darkness as well as a pop sensibility that elevates the record, despite losing some energy in the last few songs.
