Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Leslie Mendelson has won over both devoted fans and fellow artists with her enchanted voice and evocative songwriting. Jackson Browne praises her timeless melodies, hearing echoes of Burt Bacharach and Carole King, while Jakob Dylan says voices like hers “can get away with almost anything,” leaving her with few peers. This summer she returns with her fourth studio album, After The Party, produced by three collaborators: the legendary Peter Asher, in-demand Tyler Chester, and her longtime songwriting partner Steve McEwan. Recorded at Jackson Browne’s Grove Masters studio in Santa Monica, the album features an ace band including Waddy Wachtel, John Jorgenson, Leland Sklar, Derrick Anderson, Jim Keltner, and Abe Rounds. Mendelson explains that after her previous album, If You Can’t Say Anything Nice…, was shaped by the dark socio-political climate of 2018-2019 and the pandemic, she needed to have fun making music again, and the chance to work with these musical geniuses felt like the stars aligning.
Across its ten tracks, After The Party blends folk-rock and pop-Americana, evoking Laurel Canyon with the grit and wit of Brooklyn, her home for over two decades. Songs like “Rock And Roll On The Radio,” “Signs Of Life,” and “I Know A Lot Of People” feel both nostalgic and new, while the first single, “Other Girls,” pairs aural voyeurism with sexual openness and, as Mendelson describes it, is about women empowering women and a commentary on our ever-changing world. Standouts “Have a Little Heart,” “The Good Life,” and the title track reflect on a life worth living and appreciating the little things. Mendelson hopes the record connects, offering personal moments, fun sing-along moments, and reflection as an emotional journey, and Peter Asher calls her a rare singer who combines elegant precision with deep emotional resonance, with “a remarkable voice and one we need to hear.”
