Front-woman of shoegaze band Niights Jenna Fournier launches new solo project, Kid Tigrrr.

By Graeme Smith

With her debut album, Jenna is not pulling any punches. Its title refers to the concept of being judged harshly (stoned) and going into survival mode as a result (animald). Across its eleven tracks we hear stories of abuse, addiction, and mental health struggles. While we like to think we are more open-minded as a society than ever before, there is still plenty of stigma attached to these topics, which Jenna hopes to challenge with her new album.

Jenna’s influences are as broad as Mazzy Star, CocoRosie, Grimes, The Cure, and The Smashing Pumpkins (Billy Corgan from the band recently recruited her to sing backing vocals on their upcoming album Aghori Mhori Mei). As such, we get some wonderful musical diversity in Stoned + Animald, from the bittersweet pop rock of album opener Therapy to the ghostly shoegaze of finale Shapes of Sky. Through it all, Jenna’s delicate and characterful vocals holds the attention, at times gentle and at other times edgy and anguished.

Album highlights include the dreamy, vulnerable Dinosaur, the Grimes-esque Astroautomata, the lo-fi rock of Scry, eerie and expansive odyssey Shapes of Water, the honest, delicate Skin, and the goosebump-inducing PTSD. In all honestly, there really are no lowlights. Each track holds its own, and provides an important contribution to the album’s story of trauma and hope.

I’m not sure I’ve heard an album before that manages to be this diverse and coherent at the same time. Jenna’s point of view shines through it all, all while she corrals her extensive influences with expertise. It’s a truly special debut. I’m looking forward to hearing more from her.

A true DIY effort, Stoned + Animald was largely home recorded and produced by Jenna with in-studio finishing and mixing and live drums from Jim Wirt. It’s out now, available to buy as a digital album on Bandcamp. You can give it a listen below.