WhatzUp

5:30 Saturday Morning
Lennon
by Rat Monkey

It’s not easy to be a rock star. Lennon Murphy (named after famous Beatle John by her mother) began writing songs at the tender age of seven. At 15, Lennon was performing locally in Tennessee. Then just weeks before her high school graduation, Lennon found her mother dead in a closet. Hours after this shocking discovery she was invited to play a threeday music festival in Nashville. Her mother had spent her life as an aspiring songwriter. Lennon decided to fulfill her mother’s dream. Shortly after graduation, Lennon signed a record deal with Arista and released her debut album 5:30 Saturday Morning. Not bad for being just 19.

Musically, Lennon is an extremely talented pianist/guitarist. It also happens that she is very easy on the eyes. This winning combination of strong chops and sex appeal has landed her a gig as poster girl for Epiphone guitars.

In the first single, “Brake of Your Car,” Lennon screams, “I’m caught between your lies and my dreams.” Stylistically, the song is similar to Korn or the band Garbage. Heavy power-hooks will grab the listener while a siren-call melody dances in the background. The lyrics are incredible but Lennon’s voice is never quite allowed to shine though. Throughout the album the listener will draw comparisons to Pat Benetar or Lita Ford. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter if the singer has an opera-strong voice when the music is designed to kick you in the teeth. As long as she appears in her own videos, Lennon could sing like Mighty Mouse on crack and I’d watch.

Lennon does channel quite a bit of raw emotion and hurt into her lyrics. In the stripped down vocal/piano “My Beautiful” she reflects, “Walk down the street with nothing on but the shame of last night/ and the number in my hand of a man, I don’t really need.” This dark track will spellbind listeners into a tunnel of their personal regret.

Tracks like “Couldn’t Breathe” and “Property of Goat F******” hit hard and fast. Ballads such as “Thank You” and “Asking You” provide equilibrium. With spectacular song writing throughout, 5:30 Saturday Morning is definitely worth checking into. And if you have any appreciation for a beautiful tattooed female form, watch for this goth-goddess on the screen or stage.