Jenny Hval - Innocence Is Kinky

Has she did with her 2011 album, Viscera, Jenny Hval begins her latest album, Innocence is Kinky, with a sexual confession. With Viscera, she describes pressing an electric toothbrush to her clitoris. Innocence is Kinky begins with an ode to pornography. The similarities don't stop there.
Viscera went virtually unnoticed by the American music press when it was released in 2011. Going back, Viscera was one of the best albums of 2011. It is going to be hard to follow it up. Pitchfork has taken notice and a Best New Music is inevitable. However, being that they completely ignored Viscera, they can go fuck themselves.

"Innocence is just too kinky, isn't it?"

This line comes with Jenny's love of virgins. Okay. That should not come as unexpected. Jenny loves throwing off the listener with strongly compelling lines, as if forcing the listener to pay attention. It works. There are a lot of spoken word segments throughout the album, one of the strangest of which being in "Give Me That Sound". Jenny's songwriting is downright weird. Most of the time, her spoken word segments can be cheesy. It would be a lot better if the songs were without them.
As with Viscera, this album demands multiple listens. This album can only grow more compelling after the first listen. No matter how strange her spoken word segments may be, her actual songs stand out as exceptional. "I Got No Strings" is an outstanding movement. I use the term movement because that is the most accurate way to describe them. Jenny combines pop sensibilities with the experimentation that comes with her exuberant personality.
When comparing this to Viscera, it does not quite match up. Her spoken word segments prevents this album from becoming truly something special. However, this album has enough compelling songs to warrant multiple listens. Now go watch Pitchfork praise it.

7.5/10