Local Review: Jennifer Brasseur — Jennifer Brasseur

Jennifer Brasseur
Jennifer Brasseur
Coonestunes
Street: 11.07.2026
Jennifer Brasseur = Pat Benatar (Heart ÷ Stevie Nicks Staring Down Lindsey Buckingham)

What Greta Van Fleet is to Led Zeppelin, Jennifer Brasseur is to Pat Benatar. Brasseur’s sound is a clear descendant of the classic rock sirens who came before her: she’s got all the guitar-forward operatic punch of Benatar, the attitude of Joan Jett and Chrissie Hynde and the powerhouse vocals of Ann Wilson and Stevie Nicks. With this album, you can relive your best neon-soaked mallrat days — or, rather, if you’re from my generation, you can relive your best dank basement Guitar Hero days, slogging through “Barracuda” as best as you can. Curse you, weak pinkies!

After a long hiatus from music-making, Brasseur returns with this self-titled sophomore album. Anthemic, energetic and triumphant, Brasseur and producer/songwriter Michael E. Coones tackle many topics through these tracks, ranging from dragonrider fantasies on “Arabella,” romantic relationships with AI on “If You Only Had A Heart” and parenting on “Healing.”
“Make A Difference” is a battle hymn for change one might envision in a stadium firework show. The central theme of the album, however, focuses on survivorship and healing — as Brasseur is a breast cancer survivor. Many tracks speak directly to her recovery, and healing frequencies are embedded throughout the album. At its heart, this is an album of strength and persistence through pain; so the classic power ballad form falls into the hands of a contemporary powerful lady.

If you find yourself hunting for the perfect second-hand leather jacket and pegged jeans, this imitative album will find a cozy home among your throwback collection. Check it out — and Brasseur’s story of endurance and healing in connection with each song — available on Bandcamp now. —Libby Leonard

Read more music reviews by Libby Leonard:
Local Review: The Boy in Blue — For What It’s Worth
Local Review: Sunny Day Soap Opera — Me & The Mountain

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