Every once in awhile in this world of pre-manufactured American Idol slop, you come across somebody that just lives and breathes music. Music for music's sake. Not someone that follows trends. Someone that does it on her terms, giving a big finger to the establishment and the people that try to get her to wear the coat of conformity.

That person is A Brokeheart Pro, also known as Jeannette Kantzalis, ex of The Chubbies, an indie favorite that recorded a whopping back catalogue on Sympathy for the Record Industry. Jeannette closed the door on The Chubbies last year and after a few failed attempts at some other bands, took matters into her own hands. The Kitten Next Door is just Jeannette from beginning to end (although there are two covers). She wrote the songs; played all the instruments and recorded it herself in her living room-turned-studio. This record is one of the best things I've heard in years. There are songs that immediately hit you. The centre-piece is "You Don't Know" a song that is akin to a mosquito being drawn to one of those outdoor zappers. You see the light and oblivious to everything else, you have no choice but to follow. I absolutely love this song. Several other cuts stand out and there are also the other less immediate songs that only blossom after a few spins.

There is a sense of rural isolation on this record, a desert feel that gives a feeling of heat, loneliness and disappointment. The first several cuts create a sort of movie set in your head. You're right out there with Jeannette. You see the lizards creeping across the sand. You feel the pick when you back into the cactus. Her voice brings you in so close it's like you're in her head.

In fact, Jeannette's voice is one of the many weapons in her arsenal. She says she doesn't think her voice is special and that it took until this record to learn that it can be a tool. For me, especially when she goes to that girlish voice that she employs throughout, it's like a mermaid, those sirens of the ocean that beckoned sailors to the rocks where they met their watery grave. An amazing songwriter, Jeannette has put together a disc with nine of her own cuts, all top notch with no throwaways. The record is rounded out by two impressive Ryan Adams and The Killers covers.

Here it is, track by track:

Dark Red & Loud: The record starts slowly with this dream-like cut. It has the measured gait of someone who is not anxious to get where they're going. Like a final goodbye perhaps? It exudes a sense of isolation and discontent or that late night restlessness where your only relief is to get in the car and drive.

You Don't Know: The superstar of the set. Warning. Don't play this song unless you want to be arrested by its heroin-like bite. I could play this song all day. And I do, actually. This sounds like the main song from a David Lynch or Tarantino movie. You know, sort of unsettling. You get the feeling that the tall stranger with the scar running down the side of his face will appear beside you at any time. It kind of has the same vibe as "Born to Run" or "Thunder Road" in that highway kind of mental massage. The song has excellent structure and a better sense of dynamics, starting off slowly for a few bars before throwing itself into a runaway horse of energy. The reins are then pulled back towards the end in an excellent breakdown. Then the guitar cranks back in helping the song to the finish line, aided by the subtle background vocals. Check out the video on Jeannette's site for proof that videos needn't have a million dollar budget to be effective.

Charming F**ker: This is an interesting song, changing gears from the first two tracks. It leaks slivers of country, almost as if should you do a post mortem on it, the dissection cuts would allow the essence of Hank Williams to seep out all over you. Not Country in shape but Country in attitude. Cool line: "I've gotta stop listening to suicidal songwriters, not that I'm getting ideas. It's just that they bring me down as low as this low-slung guitar."

Kitten Next Door: This chugging rocker totally summarizes my image of Jeannette. "She glides across the floor with nothing but a red pedicure." Kitten indeed. I'm sure a lot of guys have experienced the hottie next door that has all the neighborhood boys gawking and their fathers out with the lawnmowers to cut the grass for the third time that week. Playful but there's no guarantee of a pay-off.

Keep This Devil Down: A somber piano intro kicks off this track that is a confession about the pleasures of the flesh.

Sometimes Saviours End Up On Their Knees: Metaphorically speaking, this appears to be another girl done wrong song. It's also one of the meatier cuts of the CD and something I've played more now than on the first few listens.

Bleed On: The verses recall early '70s Bowie and is the most "rock & roll" song on the record. Jeannette eases back on the gas and then slowly rolls back onto the road into cruising mode.

Deep Suburban Joy: This is the only track without her trademark playfulness. It has a sense of tired desperation. Like the gum-chewing waitress in every out-of-the-way diner who, even she is taking an order, is still scanning the parking lot as if waiting for her ticket out of town to suddenly drive in. Or that feeling of self-examination at two in the morning with no distractions to shift your attentions away from your dissatisfied life.

Hard Way To Fall: Originally by Ryan Adams, this song fits in well with the set. Jeannette does this country-tinged kind of thing really well which is odd given her pop-rock background.

Pink Mischief: This song which appeared on Jeanette's first record by the same name in 1992. We're treated to a more subdued version of the song that draws more attention to the lyrics and it's a great way to wind down the record.

Bling: Jeannette expertly conveys the empty desperation in this cover of The Killers song that was missing in the original. Her expressive voice helps ride the gentle roller coaster of the verses.

It's fun to watch Britney, Lindsay and all the other Hollywood tartlets go about their vacuous business. An interesting diversion possibly. But with Jeannette, it's like comparing McDs to Sunday dinner. This is a full-blown woman. A hottie who is impish enough to make you forget your zip code but musically adept enough to back up her kitten image with street cred. Sexy not slutty. It's almost like the girl you went to high school with who was always looking for something but not quite sure what that was. She was not part of the in-crowd and was smart and cute but somehow just flew under the radar. You catch up with her at your 20 year anniversary and she's transformed into a bombshell with a degree, a fast car and a penthouse apartment. Score a 10 on the "interesting" meter.

The Kitten Next Door is one of those records that resonates with a real-ness that makes you smile. From beginning to end, it is a project that smacks of originality and you feel like you're getting the very essence of her creative muse. You get the disappointment; the feelings of lust, betrayal and heartbreak. So it's only fitting you get these feelings from this record, because who else could convey heartbreak better than A Brokeheart Pro?

DISCLAIMER PART 2: I'm really over the top on this one, I realize. So don't take my word for it. I urge everybody to check out Jeannette's MySpace site and judge for yourself. Play "You Don't Know" and play it LOUD!