cletta1201's Full Review: I Am Shelby Lynne by Shelby Lynne
When I think of country music I think sadness, I think love, I think my wife left me and took my dog. The first two criterion, fit into Shelby Lynne’s album I Am Shelby Lynne. I’m not a real true die-hard fan of country music, but I do have varied a music taste that allows me to listen to anything my ear, mind and heart qualify as being good – and this album qualifies.
Shelby Lynne, is not your typical “country girl”, unless you call Virginia country. Her life hasn’t been perfect by any means though. In her 20’s she lost both of her parents when during a domestic dispute, her father shot her mother and turned the gun on himself. If that isn’t enough, Lynne’s musical career is definitely not one of overnight success. I Am Shelby Lynne is not her first album, but her 6th which adds to the irony of her winning a Grammy in 2000 for best new artist. I remember seeing her and thinking she looked like a bad a s s – one of those women who doesn’t care what you or anyone thinks for that matter, just doing her own thing. 2 years later, I’ve finally picked up an album, and I’m not disappointed.
Track Listing
1. Your Lies
2. Leavin’
3. Life Is Bad
4. Thought It Would Be Easier
5. Gotta Get Back
6. Why Can’t You Be?
7. Lookin’ Up
8. Dreamsome
9. Where I’m From
10. Black Light Blue
There isn’t really anything “bad” per se on this entire album. Lynne has gotten comparisons to such musical heavies as Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow, and Dusty Springfield. The only one I’m able to parallel her to, I’m sure you could guess (Crow if you can’t guess). Some of the tracks are more outstanding than the others, but nothing is terrible. I love the length at 10 tracks and 36 min and 5 seconds it leaves you wanting just a little more, and not thinking that damn there sure is a lot of filler on this album. I completely respect artists who are willing to give their fans all killer and no filler.
”Your Lies” starts the Lynne musical odyssey. I like the old feel to it. It sounds like it could have been a re-master of some old 45 you found in the garage, very classy. ”Leavin’ is my favorite track on the album. Sounds to me like old school seduction in its finest form. It’s funny to hear Shelby Lynne’s country twang speaking at the beginning of this song,about leaving a lover whom you can no longer do anything for – Leavin’ has a simple composition wrapped in its message. There's nothing except electric guitar, organ, bass and vocals – but the song sounds beautifully composed. Behind “Your Lies”, is the shortest song on the album and the one I wished I had just a little bit more of.
”Life Is Bad” is the first song on this album where you can make the Sheryl Crow connection. Perhaps, that astute connection can be related to the fact that the album was produced by Bill Bottrell who has also worked with Crow. Just the sound of the guitar and Lynn’s voice – it is cut from the Sheryl Crow Template For Making Music. "Thought It Would Be Easier" would be beautiful as MUZAK, if one can say such a thing about MUZAK. This one has a nice R&B feel to it, still maintaining the theme of simplicity, Lynne’s voice sounds clear and strong on this one.
”Gotta Get Back” was the radio friendly hit for Lynn and I must admit confess it was the first song I heard room her. Uncomplicated vocals and instruments, this one is perfect. About the rush to get back to love,this song and all the others have a common thread: Simplicity. Simplicity is the theme and really what makes this album work, none of the songs are overproduced. There aren’t any back-up singers (except Lynne and Bottrell), no drum machines – it just all seems so effortless. The writing is also very simple. Fairly easy to understand the emotions that Lynne is trying to convey and she had a part in all of the albums songs.
"Dreamsome" just sounds magical. If this is country music somebody stop me now. The presence of the flute throws me but I like it. That’s another issue with classifying Shelby Lynne as an artist. Although I know that her following is mostly country-based, her music has elements of jazz, R&B, and soul. From the same vein as artists like Faith Hill and Shania Twain, this album deviates more and more with each passing track from the country that it is supposed to be. "Black Light Blue" finds jazz creeping in and Lynne flexing her literary muscle by citing Shakespeare. ”Black light blue/ Heaven’s perfect hue/ the ultimate possession/ the game you couldn’t lose/ the voice in the corner/ the song you hardly knew…”
I think this album has a down home quality to it. This is the kind of album that you put on when you’re wallowing in complete and total self-pity and want to stay in it. You get the impression that Lynne spent all her money to put it together and this is the reward: how sweet it is.
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