London based Jessica Blake is an emerging country/pop artist whose debut album Take Your Time gets her career off to a promising start.  The album is marked by clean (but not too polished) production and clear vocals throughout.

Oh Susannah is a bouncy country bop that starts the album in fine fashion. Thank You For the Ride also rollicks along with a positive vibe as Blake sings “Thank you for the ride/you know I had a good time/by your side.” In Got To Believe, Blake keeps her cheery disposition with a chorus of “Got to believe/the sun is shining.”

That consistently sunny out look fits well with the pop side of Blake’s work, but is a sticking point, albeit a minor one. As country music often is based on the blues, hopefully Blake will continue to grow as an artist and cover darker themes on her next effort.

All in all, it is worth rushing out to find a copy of Take Your Time.

- Puffa Fish Records