Jennifer Kaiser: "Guided By The Light" (2026) CD Review

Jennifer Kaiser's new album, Guided By The Light, might come from darkness, from a place where grief and worry seem to hold sway, a place that is familiar to many of us, but the music itself is a way out. It is the music of an irrepressible spirit, one that might help us move beyond our own troubles. The album was recorded in two different sessions, one of which was produced by Andy Kravitz and Fernando Perdomo, both of whom also play many of the instruments on these tracks. Jennifer and Fernando have known each other since their youth, and Fernando produced her earlier albums, 2011's Masquerade and 2017's Closer To Red. The other session was produced by Tommy Radikales and Mane Ariza, and recorded at Taganga Sounds in Colombia, those tracks having a different vibe. There are a couple of tracks that both sets of producers had a hand in recording. The album features mostly original material, written by Jennifer Kaiser.

The album opens with "I Didn't Lose The Light," a song title that sets the perfect tone, a title that expresses a certain resilience in the face of troubles. There is some pretty work on strings at the beginning. That's Kaitlin Wolfberg, who plays violin, viola and cello on this track. "They tried to take it all away from me. I lost a lot in that fight/I lost my mother. I lost my brother. But I didn't lose the light." And then she tells us, "Everything is different/I can't say I know the way, but I know that I am not alone." Another line that stands out is "I will find my way back home." There is always something incredibly appealing about heading home in song. It touches something inside all of us, a longing, a need. That's followed by "Radiator." This one has an interesting opening, Jennifer repeating the word "radiator" over some cool percussion by Andy Kravitz. The vocal approach to this one is different, at times like spoken word, as on the line "The stars were shining overhead." And while in the first song she sang of still having the light, here she sings, "No lights behind, no lights ahead/We were going steady as the dead." There is something fascinating, perhaps even hypnotic about this track, and it contains some really nice stuff on guitar. Both Jennifer Kaiser and Fernando Perdomo play guitar. It ends, as it began, with repetition of the word "radiator."

"How Do You Like Me Now" is a wonderful, strangely uplifting song that offers a hand to any who might need it. "You're a beautiful boy, you're a beautiful girl/You're a one-of-a-kind child/Don't let them break you down." There is a certain beauty in those lines, in their delivery. This one also features some excellent drumming, the beat playing a prominent part. And it contains a great bass line. It is followed by "Everything Changes." This one was written by Jennifer Kaiser, Fernando Perdomo and Andy Kravitz, and the music does feel like something that would be equally at home on a Fernando Perdomo album. There is that touch of magic. This track contains some beautiful vocal work, especially on the chorus: "Everything changes, no matter what I do/Move the pieces forward, but you're still in my rear view/Everyone changes, no matter who they are/In the end we're all just stardust reaching for each other's hearts." Another line that stands out, and might be helpful to many folks these days is: "But I don't worry anymore 'cause it makes no sense to worry when nothing is for sure." This track also features some really nice work on bass, as well as excellent stuff from Kaitlin Wolfberg on strings. This is one of my favorite tracks.

"Waited For You" is more firmly in the pop realm, with a different sound, a different vibe, a different approach. This is one of the tracks that was produced by Tommy Radikales, and it features a different set of musicians backing Jennifer, including Jairo Zuniga on guitar, Beto Urieles on keys, and Mane Ariza on backing vocals. "I waited for you to come out and say/That everything would be okay." "One Sided Dreamer" was also produced by Tommy Radikales. It features some wonderful guitar work by Jairo Zuniga. "If I could ease your pain, then I would ease mine too/It's just a silly game, anyway, win or lose," Jennifer sings at the beginning. And when the song kicks in, it takes on stronger pop elements. Jennifer delivers a pretty vocal performance. "I don't know where I'm going, but I'm still hanging on." And in the second half, there is a nice whistling section. That's Mane Ariza whistling.

The album's only cover is Joan Osborne's "St. Teresa," the lead track from her 1995 album Relish. It was written by Joan Osborne, Eric Bazilian, Rob Hyman and Rick Chertoff. Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman are members of The Hooters, and they played on the original recording. There is no mandolin on this rendition by Jennifer Kaiser, but there is sitar, giving this recording its own special sound. That's Fernando Perdomo on sitar. He also plays guitar, bass and organ on this track. And here is something interesting: Andy Kravitz, who plays drums on this track, also played drums on the Joan Osborne recording. Jennifer Kaiser delivers a compelling vocal performance. That's followed by "I Am Love," a seriously cool track, with its own special sound and vibe. Fernando Perdomo plays Mellotron on this one (in addition to guitar, bass and keyboard). Kaitlin Wolfberg returns on strings. Plus, there is some good percussion. And then in the second half, Jennifer plays kazoo. An unexpected and interesting use of that instrument. "They tried to break my heart, ya see/And they got nothin'." 

"Will I Have A Chance" is one of the tracks that was produced by Tommy, Mane, Fernando and Andy. Most of the musicians are from the Tommy Radikales camp, but Kaitlin Wolfberg joins them on strings, and her work is an important part of the song's appeal. This track also features a beautiful vocal performance from Jennifer, and ends up being another of my favorites. It is followed by "I'm Not Afraid," which was produced by Tommy Radikales. "I'm sick and tired of feeling so alone/I'm sick and tired of fearing the unknown." This one is more firmly in the pop realm. The drums sound fake, which I don't care for. Gabriel Salazar is on guitar for this one. The album then concludes with "Break Of Dawn," the other track to feature the work of all four producers. As with "Will I Have A Chance," the track started at Taganga Sounds and then Kaitlin Wolfberg's string work was added. Actually, this one started long before that, for this is a song that Jennifer Kaiser included on her Masquerade album. This new version has a different sound, a different approach, and features some nice work by Beto Urieles on keys. And in the middle, there is a short, but good guitar lead by Jairo Zuniga, followed by some wonderful stuff from Kaitlin Wolfberg. "Take me to your room, hide me in your arms/Cover me in kisses until the break of dawn." Ah, yes, that's what life is all about. While everything else falls apart, being in that special someone's arms makes all the difference, and helps us face the next day. This music does the same thing.

CD Track List

1. I Didn't Lose The Light
2. Radiator
3. How Do You Like Me Now
4. Everything Changes
5. Waited For You
6. One Sided Dreamer
7. St. Teresa
8. I Am Love
9. Will I Have A Chance
10. I'm Not Afraid
11. Break Of Dawn

Guided By The Light was released on August 13, 2026.