Jill Hennessy performs songs from her album Ghost In My Head.

Review from CHARTAttack, by Matt Blair
September 3, 2010  

I might as well admit that the reason I chose to review this album is because I had a boyhood crush on Claire Kincaid. Who am I to lie to you people?

But to judge a debut album by multitalented Canadian Jill Hennessy on the basis of her television career does her a disservice. She worked her way into show business as a musician, after all, and she had already made a name for herself as such by the time she auditioned for Law & Order.

And you know what? It shows. Far from being a negligible vanity project, Ghost In My Head is a strong debut full of well-crafted ballads and country-tinged pop songs alike.

Sure, there are times when it reeks of "personal journey." The lyrics occasionally get a little too Edie Brickell, and she does dedicate the record to "people who have been brutalized in various ways and yet manage to find the light."

And yes, in the cover photo, she's holding a guitar and looking away as if she doesn't know she's being photographed.

And granted, the credit for the album should be shared among its diverse company of contributors, from accomplished producer Patrick McCarthy (U2, Madonna, R.E.M.), and a core ensemble featuring Skid Row's drummer of all people, to guests like Dixie Chick Martie Maguire. Oh, and let's not forget Hennessy's husband and son.

But it's also clear that Hennessy's got the chops to lead the charge. With a steady hand on her guitar and a bright, passionate vocal delivery that might surprise anyone familiar with her deep and demure speaking voice, she quickly disarms any listener ready to pass harsh judgment on an actress who put out an album.

I'll admit that, youthful envy of Jack McCoy aside, I went into this album as one of those listeners. And I'm also glad to admit that Hennessy proved me wrong.