Winnipeg singer and songwriter Jaylene Johnson has had her fair share of successes and setbacks in a career that has spanned over 10 years. The award-winning gospel artist recently suffered an intubation injury that damaged her vocal cords. Nevertheless, after a year and a half of surgeries, recovery, and childbirth, the 2011 Western Canadian Music Award nominee has released a new album, Potter and Clay.
Released on Oct. 7, Potter and Clay is a collection of 12 songs that highlight the ups and downs of a trying decade for an artist. The part-country, part-gospel album consists of songs of hope, pain, and gratitude and in many ways sound like prayers and confessions.
The album’s sound is a gentle blend of guitars and pianos that provide a sufficient backing for Johnson’s calming voice. Johnson sings her heart out with lyrics that showcase her faith and detail her experiences and resilience. In a unique way, the album tells her story or one closely related to hers.
Potter and Clay, which features Steve Bell and Joey Landreth, opens with the somber-sounding “Fallin,” a solemn cry for help, and ends on a cheerful note with “I Won’t Be Frightened Anymore,” an acapella that showcases Johnson’s vocal prowess. “Find Us,” which has garnered a lot of airplay on the radio since the album was released, is one of the best tracks on the album as it highlights – lyrically and musically – the album’s essence and themes of hope and resilience.
