Jenny Owen Youngs

Jenny Owen Youngs' career catapulted a few years ago when her potty-mouthed waltz "Fuck Was I" landed on the soundtrack to Weeds' second season. An irresistible, indie-pop novelty take on Nelly's "Hot in Herre" followed, which further increased her Internet exposure and juxtaposed nicely with the serious themes on her debut album, Batten the Hatches. But Youngs' new album, Transmitter Failure, trades in her indie-folk for slick studio-pop that's reminiscent of Aimee Mann's work with 'Til Tuesday. (It's not surprising that Youngs recently spent some time on the road opening shows for Mann.) "Led to the Sea" gallops with a danceable pulse and gritty bassline punch that leads to a bubblegum-sweet chorus, while "If I Didn't Know" relies on slow-building vintage keyboard and mellotron lines for its woozy, space-pop vibe. However, "Here Is a Heart" shows that Youngs can still craft tender folk ballads; her breathy falsetto on it rivals any solo singer-songstress out there today.