The JaneDear girls (album)

the JaneDear girls is the self-titled debut studio album by American duo the JaneDear girls. It was released by Warner Music Nashville on February 1, 2011. the JaneDear girls is a country pop album consisting of eleven songs, which critics identified had several musical influences. Singer John Rich helped the duo secure a record contract, acted as their mentor, and was the album's executive producer. the JaneDear girls promoted the album by appearing on tours headlined by other country artists and at other events.

Reviews of the JaneDear girls were mixed; some critics praised the duo's vocals, while others criticized the songs as generic. The album peaked at number 46 on the Billboard 200 chart, and has sold 32,915 copies as of March 19, 2011. Three singles – "Wildflower", "Shotgun Girl", and "Merry Go Round" – were released. Each song appeared on Billboard charts; they also received mixed feedback from critics. "Merry Go Round" was singled out for its use of Auto-Tune. Following the album's release, the JaneDear girls disbanded to pursue solo careers.

Background and recording
Songwriter Kris Bergsnes introduced the JaneDear girls members Susie Brown and Danelle Leverett to one another at a Nashville club. Both women had performed independently at various venues. Brown often played the mandolin and fiddle, while Leverett played guitar. According to AllMusic's Steve Leggett, the pair felt a "strong musical affinity" from their first meeting, and they decided to write and record music under the name the JaneDear girls. While deciding on the group name, Leverett said they wanted something memorable and distinctly American. Rejected ideas included The Janes, The Dears, and Dear Jane. They had also attempted to copyright the name Jane Dear, but were unable to do so due to conflicts with the John Deere company.

Brown and Leverett attracted attention from various record labels while performing in Nashville. With the support of singer John Rich, the duo secured a record deal with Warner Music Nashville, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and the Turner Nichols & Associates Management firm. The group performed their original ballad "Saturdays in September" as part of their audition for the label. A mentor for the JaneDear girls, Rich also served as the executive producer for their self-titled debut album. Brown and Leverett are credited as co-writers of all its tracks. The album was recorded in several recording studios in Nashville (Blackbird Studio, Brewbeat, David Axelrod Studio, and Sony Tree Studios) and California (Ollywood Studios, Petey Boy Studios, and RW Recordings).

Composition and sound
the JaneDear Girls is a country pop album that consists of eleven tracks. Songs include "tacky, spangly four-four beats and hook-heavy crossovers". Most of the album's instrumentation is provided by "fiddle, banjo, and cranked up electric guitar", and the lyrics revolve around "love, heartbreak and innocence lost". On the group's official website, Leverett wrote about their sound: "We like our guitars loud, our fiddles ripping and a steady beat that makes people want to dance!"

Music critics identified several different musical influences throughout the album. Eric Allen of the American Songwriter wrote that the group's sound put them on a similar "musical landscape" with singers Shania Twain and Taylor Swift due to the focus on girl power. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times described the album as featuring influences from hip hop, teen pop, and R&B, and Bree Davis of Westword viewed it as having an "underlying flavor" of bluegrass music. the JaneDear Girls were also compared to singer Katy Perry based on their more pop sound and colorful costumes. Brown wrote the album's opening song "Wildflower" on an electric mandolin and based it on her experiences growing up, describing it as a "female anthem". Along with the mandolin, its instrumentation includes drums, bass, banjo, fiddle, and an electric guitar. The second track "Shotgun Girl" is an uptempo number inspired by Leverett's experiences in a past relationship, in which she enjoyed riding shotgun with her boyfriend. The lyrics include references to country music artists Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard.

The fifth track, "Saturdays in September", is the album's only ballad, and Jonathan Keefe of Slant Magazine compared the sixth song, "Sing Along", to the work of singer Natasha Bedingfield and musician Liz Phair. The following track "Lucky You" has an instrumental built on electric guitars and drums. The lyrics for the eighth song, "Pretender", focus on a person's first love, and its composition features "straight-out-of 80s keyboards". Jeffrey B. Remz of the Country Standard Time described the closing song, "Every Day's a Holiday", as an example of how the album was tailored for radio play. "Baby It's You" is included as a bonus track on some editions of the album.

The third track "Merry Go Round" was singled out by critics for commentary. Billy Dukes, writing for Taste Of Country, interpreted that its inclusion of fiddles and banjos was a way to soften its more hip hop chorus. Dukes compared the duo's vocals to musician Peter Frampton, and AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote the track was similar to music by singers Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood. Grady Smith of Entertainment Weekly viewed it as having a "honky tonk banjo melody". Several commentators noted "Merry Go Round" for its use of Auto-Tune. Leverett said that they added it due to a lack of time to complete the track, and kept parts of it in the final version as they liked the effect.

Singles
"Wildflower" was released as the album's lead single in 2010, where it received "steady airplay" on country radio. the JaneDear girls chose the song for its composition and lyrics; Leverett explained that it best represented them as "independent females chasing a dream". Craig Shelburne of CMT praised the song as memorable, while Jonathan Keefe criticized it as unoriginal. the JaneDear girls performed "Wildflower" on various late-night talk shows, including Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and the Country Radio Seminar. A music video, directed by Deaton Flanigen in Adams, Tennessee, was released through their YouTube account on June 28, 2010. The video appeared in the Top 20 on the Great American Country television network. It was nominated for Duo Video of the Year at the 2011 Country Music Association Awards, and Flanigen received a nomination for Video Director of the Year partly due to his work on the visual. The JaneDear girls also earned a nomination for the Single by a Breakthrough Artist during the 2011 American Country Awards. "Wildflower" peaked at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 19, 2011, and stayed on the chart for eight weeks. For the 2011 Year End Country Songs Billboard chart, "Wildflower" ranked at number 71. Deborah Evans Price of Billboard wrote that the JaneDear girls were considered a breakthrough act for 2011 based on the commercial success of "Wildflower".



The album's second single was "Shotgun Girl", which the duo decided to release after hearing positive feedback from friends within the music industry. Brown explained that the song was chosen for its radio appeal and because women could relate to it. Music critics praised the single as ideal for the summer; Matthew Wilkening of Taste Of Country praised it as a "cheerful, four-on-the-floor song" and a "perfect anthem for summer Friday afternoons". Jonathan Keefe was more critical of "Shotgun Girl", identifying it as an unsuccessful attempt to mimic the arena rock sound of bands like Def Leppard. A music video was uploaded to the group's YouTube account on June 15, 2011. Alanna Conway of Taste Of Country summarized the video as focused on cars and colors, and praised it as having "plenty of entertaining moments that will captivate the audience throughout the song". Leverett viewed the visual as "very performance driven", with an emphasis placed on the band. "Shotgun Girl" peaked at number 36 on the Hot Country Songs chart on June 18, 2011, and remained on the chart for 21 weeks.

"Merry Go Round" was released as the third and final single from the album, and was sent to country radio in August 2011. Billy Dukes felt that the song would not appeal to country radio audiences and viewed its release as a risk; he explained: "'Merry Go Round' isn't safe, it isn't polite and it isn't how more urbane listeners think young ladies should behave." Despite these remarks, he praised the group for their unapologetic attitude. Grady Smith was also uncertain about the decision to promote the song as a single, and wrote that it would divide listeners through its use of Auto-Tune. Jonathan Keefe panned "Merry Go Round" as a poor attempt to recreate duo Big & Rich's 2004 single "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)". On October 26, 2011, the JaneDear girls uploaded a video to their YouTube account that taught a line dance to "Merry Go Round" and encouraged viewers to choreograph their own dances. "Merry Go Round" peaked at number 44 on the Hot Country Songs and the Hot Country airplay charts on November 26, 2011, and stayed on both for 16 weeks.

Release and promotion
the JaneDear Girls was released on February 1, 2011, as a CD and a digital download. Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the album cover as relying on "va-va-voom glamour" as a marketing tactic. the JaneDear Girls performed as part of Jason Aldean's My Kinda Party tour, and on select dates for Brad Paisley's H2O II: Wetter and Wilder World tour. They also served as the opening act for Reba McEntire's concert; for their set, the duo sang primarily covers of country and rock music, such as English band Led Zeppelin's 1975 "Kashmir". Emily Burnham of the Bangor Daily News praised their performance as "a high energy start to the night", and McEntire called the duo "cute as a button".

On January 18, 2011, the group also performed at the Grand Ole Opry as part of the Academy of Country Music Awards, where they were nominated for Top New Vocal Duet or Group. They also performed "Wildflower" and "Shotgun Girl" at the opening of 2011 CMA Music Festival; as part of the set, Brown played a medley of the Charlie Daniels' 1979 single "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and Johnny Cash's 1938 song "Orange Blossom Special". Chris Parton of CMT praised the group for their energy and harmonies, while Matthew Keever of the Houston Press wrote that they had a polarizing effect on the crowd as either the best or worst act of the night. Keever had a mixed reaction to their performance, but responded positively to Brown's fiddle medley. the JaneDear girls sang several songs, including "Wildflower", "Saturdays in September", and a cover of Pat Benatar's 1980 single "Hit Me with Your Best Shot", at the 2011 Country Music Association Awards. They also performed at the 2011 Montana State Fair, the Academy of Country Music event "Girls’ Night Out: Superstar Women of Country", and the Go Country 105 FM’s 4th Anniversary Show.

Along with the duo's live performances, the album was promoted further when the track "Sugar" was featured on a 30-second preview for the Desperate Housewives episode "Watch While I Revise the World". They also performed "Shotgun Girl" on the Hart of Dixie episode "Planksgiving". Peter Strickland, a senior vice president of brand management and sales for Warner Music Nashville, said that the JaneDear girls were marketed based on three concepts: "Visual, youthful and high-energy." The group also participated in a marketing campaign with MAC Cosmetics. To better connect with their fans, Brown and Leverett posted weekly videos on their official website; the videos' topics ranged from songwriting, and fashion, to farming. Brown said that these clips give "fans insight into our lives and what we love".

the JaneDear girls disbanded after the release of their album. The break-up was first announced in April 2012 through a promotional message from the organizers of the 8th International Dogwood Festival, where the duo had been booked as the headlining act. Following the split, Brown and Leverett pursued music careers as solo artists; Leverett recorded indie and pop music under the stage name Nelly Joy. Brown continued to record country music. Billy Dukes wrote that the JaneDear girls, like Bomshel and Miss Willie Brown, were an example of how some female duos were unable to find "the formula for success" in country music.

Reception
Upon its release, the JaneDear girls received mixed feedback from music critics; Metacritic gives it a score of 56/100, indicating a "mixed or average" response, based on four reviews. Eric Allen praised the album's production, and viewed the JaneDear girls as an innovative addition to the country music landscape. Jon Caramanica described the JaneDear girls as "brassy and chipper and fun". Stephen Thomas Erlewine responded positively to the album's up-tempo material, writing that the duo "wind[s] up with appealingly glitzy, crisp country-pop", but criticized their lack of emotion on the ballads. Even though he felt that the album's production should have been mellower, Matt Bjorke of Roughstock wrote that the project showed the duo's potential. Jeffrey B. Remz wrote that the album's strengths were the duo's vocals and harmonies, but he responded negatively to the songs calling many of them "formulaic". Jessica Phillips of Country Weekly rated the album two-and-a-half stars out of five, dismissing most of the songs as "uninspired", but she praised Brown and Leverett's vocals. Jonathan Keefe panned the duo's vocals and the album's songwriting and production as inauthentic and unoriginal.

the JaneDear girls peaked at number 46 on the Billboard 200 chart on February 19, 2011, and remained on the chart for seven weeks. It also reached number ten on the Top Country Albums chart on the same day, and stayed on the chart for 25 weeks. It sold 10,307 copies in its first week, and as of March 19, 2011, the album has sold 32,915 copies.

Track listing

 * Writing and production credits for the songs are taken from the booklet of the JaneDear girls. John Rich produced all of the songs for the album.

Credits and personnel
The following credits were adapted from the booklet of the JaneDear girls and AllMusic:
 * Management
 * Warner Music Nashville


 * Recording locations


 * Blackbird Studios, Nashville TN
 * Brewbeat, Nashville, TN
 * David Axelrod Studio, Nashville, TN
 * Ollywood Studios, Hollywood, CA
 * Petey Boy Studios, Simi Valley, CA
 * RW Recordings, Beverly Hills, CA
 * Sony Tree Studios, Nashville, TN


 * Credits


 * Paul "TFO" Allen – electric guitar
 * Pete Amato – keyboards
 * Kristin Barlowe – photography
 * Ann Marie Boskovich – vocal harmony
 * Steve Brewster – drums, percussion
 * Mike Brignardello – bass
 * Emma Brophy – vocal harmony
 * Nick Brophy – engineer, electric guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocal producer
 * Wesley-Kate Brophy – vocal harmony
 * Susie Brown – fiddle, mandocaster, mandolin
 * Adam Engelhardt – assistant
 * P.J. Fenech – assistant
 * Shannon Forrest – drums
 * Andy Gibson – vocal harmony
 * Lucy Halperin – make-up
 * Clyde Haygood – hair stylist
 * Marcus Hummon – acoustic guitar
 * Oliver Leiber – percussion, programming
 * Danelle Leverett – harmonica
 * John Palmeri – assistant
 * Mark Petaccia – assistant
 * Ethan Pilzer – bass
 * Bartley Pursley – engineer
 * John Rich – producer
 * Jeffrey Roach – Hammond B3, keyboards, piano
 * Adam Shoenfeld – electric guitar
 * Edward St. George – hair stylist
 * Megan Thompson – make-up
 * Ilya Toshinsky – banjo, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, slide guitar
 * Wah Wah – guitar
 * Wanda Vick – Dobro, fiddle
 * Rune Westberg – electric guitar, programming
 * John Willis – acoustic guitar
 * Glenn Worf – bass
 * Nathan Yarborough – assistant
 * Jonathan Yudkin – banjo, Dobro, fiddle, mandolin, string arrangements, strings