There’s more to Eilen Jewell than meets the eye. National Public Radio, on its listing for Song of the Day, says, “She’s got a sweet and clear voice with a killer instinct lurking beneath the shiny surface.” USA Today describes her as “Dark and haunting, but alluring just the same . . . Give me more of that voice.” Her voice certainly stays with you, a captivating blend of wild and under control. Her music encompasses a wide range of traditions, from the folk and jug band leanings of her first few albums, to the vintage country stylings of her Loretta Lynn tribute, to gospel, garage rock, and Chicago blues. Her latest album, Queen of the Minor Key, features 14 originals, ranging from torch songs to roadhouse rockers. The website allmusic calls the album “a reminder that this music at its best speaks to the wayward impulses of the human heart, and Eilen Jewell embodies that quiet, insistent voice as well as anyone making music in the 21st century.”

Eilen grew up in Boise, Idaho, started busking on the streets of Santa Fe when she was in college, and spent some time in Southern California before moving to Boston, where she’s currently based. Along the way, she’s put together a marvelous band, featuring Jason Beek on drums, Jerry Miller on guitar, and Johnny Sciascia on upright bass. Their music sounds good on the surface, and then it gets under your skin, and you realize that it holds hidden depths of dark humor, raw emotion, and gospel soul.

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Photo by Erik Jacobs