Jennifer Tefft & The Strange – A Little More
As humans, we often desire a little bit more than what we’re usually receiving. Whether in relationships, in our career, or just a feeling out of life’s fleeting fulfilment, there is forever a balance in calmly appreciating the moment and aggressively understanding a sense of our self-worth.
For Jennifer Tefft & The Strange, those emotions rise to the surface with dramatic tension in “A Little More,” the Massachusetts alternative rock band’s commanding new single set for release on Friday, February 6. This ominous and foreboding track, an expansive and slow-burning capture of our human desire and all its impulses, follows the band’s acclaimed 2024 debut album Strange Beginnings and a powerful cover released last fall of The Lumineers’ “Salt and the Sea.”
“This song was written during a point in my relationship where I felt like it was too one-way,” Tefft says. “Where I really wanted ‘A Little More’ from my significant other — communication, time, emotion, etc. – but I was afraid to say it out loud. I think it is a pretty common theme in relationships.”
Ironically, the shared notion of wanting more can also be reflective of the song’s creative journey. “A Little More” was originally written by Tefft during the Covid lockdown a half-decade ago, but the powerhouse vocalist and acclaimed musician was never satisfied with its overall composition and tone.
Combine the past few years of cultural and societal anxiety bubbling over, an increasingly common feeling amongst us of never being truly satisfied, and The Strange’s newly crystallized lineup – Tefft on vocals and guitar joined by longtime collaborator and guitarist John Parrillo; Stephen “Sharky” Beccia on bass; and new recruit Chis Jost on drums, with former drummer Tim Provost appearing on the recording of – and “A Little More” evolved into something a little more sinister, a little more fierce, and a little more demanding.
With the Strange deconstructing the original version and rebuilding it in their style, “A Little More” quickly took on its final form: Dark, seductive, and with the type of undertow-like pull that has marked this era of the band. It twists and aches with a heartbreak that feels universal, and wholly relatable, no matter our personal battles.
“In terms of the band’s sound, perhaps we are putting the finishing touches on an existing chapter,” admits Parrillo.
“A Little More” also acts as a companion track to “Salt and the Sea,” with a strong bass and drum groove, atmospheric guitars, and a driving chorus led by Tefft’s captivating vocals. It’s a swirl of moods that draws from post-punk and underground indie and alt-rock, while retaining Jennifer Tefft & The Strange’s penchant for hypnotic compositions that straddle a line between grit and glitz.
If darker times call for darker sounds, Jennifer Tefft & The Strange are providing the soundtrack – and assuring us it’s well within our rights to keep demanding more.
“The sound of ‘A Little More’ and ‘Salt and the Sea’ is the result of the band’s new lineup,” says Beccia. “The ongoing collaboration and input of each musician and their creative sound is what makes The Strange. It’s like a chemical reaction. You add or subtract new elements and the outcome will be different. Since Strange Beginnings, we continue to explore new possibilities but keep the baseline cemented. Meaning, new and exciting songs coming from a band that still sounds familiar.”
That should not only satisfy audiences, but also continue the rise of Jennifer Tefft & The Strange as one of the Boston music scene’s most dynamic bands.
While Tefft, a veteran musician and songwriter whose songs have been heard across international televisions on Cruel Summer, CSI, Stargate Universe, One Life To Live, The Young & The Restless, and elsewhere, Strange Beginnings was a true jump-off point for this creative era.
The record earned Album of the Year at the 2024 New England Music Awards, generating press everywhere from WBUR, Boston’s NPR and Worcester Magazine to national tastemaker outlets like The Honey Pop and Loud Women, and “Tonight,” a rebooted version of album track “Going Out,” officially submitted last year for GRAMMY consideration.
And like Strange Beginnings, “A Little More” was produced, mixed and engineered by Bob St. John. Its forceful sound was captured 37’ Productions in Rockland, MA, with mastering done by Adam Matza at Magic Ears Mastering.
“Strange Beginnings was an album where I largely wrote the majority of the songs and then turned them over to the band to interpret them,” Tefft admits. “Moving forward, we are writing much more as a unit, hashing stuff out in the rehearsal space as people bring in ideas. I think it will definitely take us to new places sonically and songwriting-wise.”
The visual presentation is also a band affair, with Beccia supplying the artwork for the angle, then designed by Tefft, and Parrillo crafting the band’s promo photography.
From here, the band plans to unveil a video for “A Little More,” filmed live during a gig at Jam Stage in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, before heading back into the studio in March to record more songs. New singles will follow every couple of months, leading to a potential tour of Europe in the fall and consistent live shows around the Northeast region, and enhancing the band’s visual element on stage, including a September gig that features circus arts (“Something I’ve always wanted to do,” Tefft says).
The common theme in all this: A little bit more of everything. And not being afraid to ask for it.
“We are roaring into this new year ready to make some noise!” Tefft concludes. “We have now brought on Chris Jost on drums and are letting the glue settle in on our creative relationship. So with this song as a starting point in 2026, the next single will most definitely be another evolution in our sound and writing.”
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