Some artists are too idiosyncratic and noncommercial for even offshoots of major labels to feel comfortable with. That's singer/songwriter/guitarist Shannon McNally's situation, so instead of hooking up with a well-placed indie after a few albums for various EMI-distributed imprints, she retreats to this self-released set, her first solo studio release in four years. Now ensconced in Mississippi, she has found the perfect location for her smooth yet biting drawl of a voice and music that revels in the swampy soul where groove trumps hooks. This modest yet moving eight-tune disc is a low-key but potent reminder of her multiple talents. Legendary musician/producer Jim Dickinson contributes keyboards (one of his final projects before passing away in August 2009), but his presence is felt throughout, almost as if he were the producer. McNally gets that credit, although the stripped-down vibe of country, rock, and soul she lays down has plainly been blessed by Dickinson. Tunes such as the ballad "Lovely" are allowed the time and space they need to unwind, capturing and releasing tension as McNally caresses the lyrics with her twangy, sultry singing. There's plenty of heat here, but it's bubbling under on J.J. Cale-styled shuffles such as "Bohemian Wedding Song." McNally flaunts her Dylan and Waylon Jennings influences, turning in rugged, faithful covers of "Lonesome, Ornery and Mean" and "Freedom to Stay," both hits for the latter although written by others, and a poignant six-plus-minute closing version of Dylan's "Positively 4th Street." Her originals are just as powerful, especially the ghostly "Bolder Than Paradise," a beautiful ballad that builds intensity gradually and gracefully, taking flight on McNally's naturally husky vocals and peppered by Eric Deaton's perfectly placed, greasy guitar fills. The songs combine to deliver a natural, atmospheric, live-in-the-studio mood that makes it seem that the listener is eavesdropping on the recording of music that is personal and emotionally stirring.
© Hal Horowitz /TiVo