A newcomer to watch out for.
Themis-Athena | from somewhere between California and Germany | 10/22/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I discovered Shannon McNally at a Stevie Nicks concert in late summer (one of the few that took place before Nicks had to postpone her tour) - wandering around the venue, I was attracted by the sound of a Fender Strat coming from a small stage, soon joined by an unusual singer's voice. The singer turned out to be McNally who, supported only by her own acoustic guitar and a friend playing the aforementioned Fender, was showcasing a few songs from her "Bolder than Paradise" EP and from her upcoming debut album "Jukebox Sparrows," due out later this year.
It's hard to describe a voice without comparing it to that of other singers (and without, thus, coining a certain image, true and welcome or not) - an entire list of rock divas to whom to compare McNally's voice would come to mind; yet, she is not just a Bonnie-Raitt-, Sheryl-Crow-, Shania-Twain- or Alanis-Morissette-sound-alike. If you've only heard her EP or seen the video for "Down and Dirty," you'd be even more surprised if you hear her perform live; in that medium (particularly with the sparse instrumentation over which I saw her perform) her voice is even more powerful ... and hearing the blues inflections that seem to be such a natural and integral part of her singing, you'd never believe she is actually from New York City!
Most of the songs on her EP and the upcoming album were written over the past couple of years (the EP also contains a funky cover of Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover," though); and if "Bolder Than Paradise" is any indication of things to come, McNally had the opportunity to work with top-notch musicians - notably, Bob Glaub and Paul Bushnell on bass, Jim Keltner and James Gadson on drums and David Woodford on baritone sax in "Just Like Chicken." The songs range from the bluesy "Down and Dirty" to more straightforward rock ("Bitter Blue") and rockabilly ("Just Like Chicken"), with a few wistful (and again mostly blues-tinged) love songs thrown in for good measure ("Love Hate" and "Now That I Know," a song due to appear on "Jukebox Sparrows").
It seems that for the past couple of years it has been relatively easy for women to break into the market (none other than female slide guitar pioneer Bonnie Raitt commented not too long ago that these days this is actually easier for women than for guys); yet, many female singers still are labeled somebody else's sound-alike not long after the release of their first album, and are shoved back to the sidelines as quickly as they have initially been pushed to center stage. I hope Shannon McNally will be spared that fate. "It's a pity everybody's here just to hear Stevie Nicks," somebody in McNally's entourage (yes, she already had one; albeit a small one) commented at the show where I discovered her. And while I couldn't quite agree with that statement, I really hope that Shannon McNally will soon have many fans of her own, too - she'd most definitely deserve it.
Also recommended:
Geronimo
Jukebox Sparrows"
An interesting debut
Komsedrol | Los Angeles | 07/19/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I saw the video for "Down and Dirty" and was intrigued. So far, this is the only commericial release available for Shannon McNally; this ep, however, is good enough to tide one over until the release of her proper debut. A country-ish sheen dominates the album -- McNally sounds like a younger and brasher Bonnie Raitt, with a little Neko Case and Sheryl Crow thrown in for good measure. The instrumentation is straightforward -- guitar, organ, and some heavy bottom end. Occasionaly, a theremin is used, or some horns to add nuance. The arangements, and song writing, however, are inventive, which keeps the album from being blandly professional. Stand out tracks include, "Down and Dirty," "Bolder Than Paradise," and a nice cover of Paul Simon's "5o Ways (To Leave Your Lover)." I'm certainly looking forward to hearing her LP to see if, in the interim, McNally has added a little more experimentation (think "Summer Teeth") and gravitas (Beth Orton)."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1