There’s the hair, the dress, the boots and then there’s the sound. Eilen Jewell’s voice, a glissando droplet that adheres easily to the ear, was discovered at age seven when the Idaho-born balladeer joined a rock band; like every other seven-year-old’s rock band, they used fake instruments made of cardboard. Sea of Tears, her latest and very rock- and R&B-influenced album, is a throwback to those early days in the living room, a culmination of childhood dreams mimicking the Animals, the Kinks and Buddy Holly. Expecting a backlash from her fan base, Jewell has instead seen even more adoration for the departure from her usual folk-swing-country-rockabilly style. Constantly on tour from her native Boston, Jewell’s also got a terrific band behind her, driving with a propulsive keel her own originals alongside choice covers by Sleepy John Estes, Loretta Lynn and Them. She’ll be shakin’ all over on Wednesday, May 27, at the Last Day Saloon. 120 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 8pm. $10–$13. 707.545.2343.Gabe Meline
.May 27: Eilen Jewell at the Last Day Saloon
