Kim Lenz

Four years after her last LP, this fiery-haired former Dallasite returns with a snap, crackle, and romp that breathes new life into the familiar tropes of roots revivalism. Fronting cover art that doesn't recall a Fifties pulp novel, Follow Me expands on Lenz's previous work with a mix of maturity, depth, and zing, beginning with the fact that her vocals never sounded better. Between sultry, playful phrasing on the faux-Arabian-flavored title track and a barely hinged growl in the chorus of "Cry Wolf," she displays exceptional stylistic confidence and control. Her well-oiled band's scramble of rockabilly and jump blues gains even more traction by employing elements of classic transistor pop songcraft. Dramatic torch song "Deejay" evokes the rabble-rousing pathos of a well-curated John Waters soundtrack, while coup de grace "Trust No One" swings the crazy game of love right into oncoming traffic. So much for the ephemera of easy nostalgia.

Kim Lenz & the Jaguars
Follow Me (Riley)
REVIEWED BY GREG BEETS
Austin Chronicle, FRI., OCT. 4, 2013