A Beta-Alpha-Cal Glance At My Favorite 10 Albums From 2008

I have given the next album/artist a few shouts out this year. And after a quick Hype and Elbo, it seems that her music hasn’t taken the music blogs by storm. Which confuses me. More proof that over exposure doesn’t necessarily mean quality.


Jenny Scheinman plays the violin. She has played the violin in the jazz world for years. Her string strumming has been featured on albums by Norah Jones, Bill Frisell and Leni Stern, to name a few. Only recently has she traded in trading fours for singing folk songs by the likes of Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams and Tom Waits, to name a few. I compared her vocals to Gillian Welch. The sonic quality of the songs on her self-titled album would fit fine on one by Welch, also.

As stated before, I dig albums that have songs you can sing-a-long to. I like albums that are easy to listen to (not easy listening). Albums that don’t drain you emotionally after a listen. Albums that work well as background music. Albums that work well as foreground music. Albums that feel and sound timeless. Albums with uptempo rockers and downtempo moody mellowers.

Jenny Scheinman’s Jenny Scheinman fits all those categories.

Listen:
Jenny Scheinman ∞ Johnsburgh, Illinois

Bonus song from Jenny’s jazz instrumental album that she released in 2008:
Jenny Scheinman ∞ Song For Sidiki

More:
Best of 2008