It has been more than two decades since The Juliana Hatfield Three‘s last, and only, full-length, “Become What You Are”, helped make its front woman an alt-rock darling. She remained remarkably prolific (releasing five LPs, solo and with collaborative projects, in the past five years alone), but the 1993 set boasted what is likely Hatfield’s defining song, the sweetly caustic “My Sister.” As a result, Hatfield’s JH3 era, with drummer Todd Philips and bassist Dean Fisher, has come to be regarded as her watershed moment. ut her she is in fine form with a recent recorded set for the Radio station KEXP .
All of which means Whatever, My Love arrives with an extra bit of anticipation from Juliana Hatfield enthusiasts. And, much like its forebear, the album’s 12 tunes are tight, tidy pop-rockers, presented in her characteristic straightforward-yet-slightly-skewed manner. Speaking of that voice, Hatfield, now 47, still sounds very much the eternal adolescent, her phrasing and timbre pegged somewhere between coiled petulance and blunt indifference. It’s her most distinctive asset, and a perfect foil for her vivid if seemingly tossed-off character sketches.
The Juliana Hatfield Three performing live in the KEXP studio. Recorded March 11th, 2015.
Songs:
My Sister
Ordinary Guy
I’m Shy
Spin the Bottle
The Fat Angel Sings 