The Bottom Line
I first heard Saving Jane's "Girl Next Door" several months back and was not immediately impressed. The sound is relaxed pop-rock and the subject matter, the average girl who loses out to the prom queen, is not significantly original. However, the voice of lead vocalist Marti Dodson (a touch of Alanis Morissette) and the honesty of the lyrics makes me pleased to hear this every time it's on the radio.
Listen to "Girl Next Door."
- Classic pop-rock sound that goes down easy
- 98% of pop music fans can identify with this
- Definitely takes time to sink in - more a fact than a drawback
Description
- Jangly guitar pop
- A slice of teen life in the lyrics
- Radio-friendly vocals
Guide Review - Saving Jane - Girl Next Door
It's easy to dismiss Saving Jane as just another in a long line of well-produced unspectacular pop music that fills the radio airwaves as background music for work, parties, or just a quiet evening at home. However, as I listen to the song more and more it seems to sink in as just a little more memorable than that.
The key to the success of the song is in the realism of the lyrics. The song's protagonist is far from a pathetic outsider. The words are not trumped up for dramatic effect. As the tune winds to an end, the conclusion is "I get a little bit, she gets a little more." It's one of those moments of clarity and human honesty that is too rare in mainstream pop music.
One song will not save the group Saving Jane from being lost in the vastness of pop music memory once "Girl Next Door" fades from the radio dial. Something more distinguished will be required for staying power, but, as a starting point, "Girl Next Door" is not bad at all.
