Shannon In Nashville
Easy Eye Sound / Nonesuch
2018
Rating: 7 moon viruses out of 10
It didn’t even take a full listen of “Shannon In Nashville” to realize that this is the optimal format to enjoy Shannon Shaw. No Clams, Hunx, or Punx necessary - her true calling is this earnest attempt at becoming Dusty Springfield for the 21st century, and she’s pretty much fuckin’ nailed it on her first attempt. Some may not agree, but the best compliment for this particular brand of “throwback” soul is how immediately familiar it sounds - I feel I could be easily convinced that gems like “Cryin’ My Eyes Out,” “Broke My Own,” and “Golden Frames” are actually covers of tracks I’ve known all my life. Part of the narrative of this record is Shannon not only went to Nashville to record this with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, but the session players they employed were old-school pros – vets from artists you may have heard of such as Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison, and an up-and-comer named Elvis Presley. The music quality is untouchable, the arrangements lush (and often string-filled), and Shaw’s voice is powerful enough to match the firepower that is backing her. If there is any knock at all, there are a few too many slow/mid-tempo numbers and “Shannon In Nashville” could use a couple more tracks that jump, but that’s more a personal taste than a knock on the excellent product presented here.
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