JENNIFER HILL, Love Bomb

Though Jennifer Hill’s decision to title her exquisitely eclectic, highly anticipated debut album Love Bomb implies a sense of emotional danger if we get too intimate with the incisive messages and unabashed vulnerability of her songs, fans of torchy blues, soul, rock, swing and jazz (and maybe more genres, if we listen more intently) are going to love the freewheeling affection and attention she offers.

The second line of her bio, mentioning that the first full song she belted was “Me and Bobby McGee” circa age three, sets the tone for her multi-faceted life as a powerhouse musician, insightful and intuitive singer/songwriter, activist, mentor, teacher and mother. From that early connection with Janis Joplin, she’s been refining and expanding her style ever since, adding elegant and funky piano to her stylistic toolbox while embracing the influences of an array of female legends.

To begin with, she showcases a bit of a Fiona Applesque cool darkness on the hypnotic, mid-tempo “Baby Child” (featuring Tim Palmieri’s crackling guitar solo) and the poignant, heart-stopping confessional “Erased.” The piano pounding funk-rocker “Gemma Star,” with features by June Millington and STOUT, flashes a bit of Bonnie Raitt’s silk blues approach, while the flashy, dramatic, muted trumpet spiked and brass fired cabaret-ready romp “Made of Candy” flashes a bit of that Amy Winehouse slyness.

While those artists make for worthy comparisons for those not already acquainted with Jennifer, the truth is, she transcends those influences to find a sometimes searing, often intoxicating genre busting niche of unpredictable charm, intense social consciousness (fearlessly tackling themes of gun violence, bullying and abuse) and a blend of deeply passionate  balladry and jumpy swing all her own. Testament to her musical brilliance, she’s got none other than legendary producer Vic Steffens guiding the ship here as he’s done for everyone from the Rolling Stones and Harry Connick, Jr. to Lita Ford and Bobby Brown.

Jennifer, who’s also got quite a cool holiday discography going with “River,” “Silver Bells” and “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” gives him a ton of raw magic to work with. What comes next? It’s the title of the stark, cautiously optimistic piano-vocal driven ballad that closes the set: “You’ll See.”