Saturday 21 September 2013

Shannon McNally - Small Town Talk

Bobby Charles Tribute

This is easy to review and recommend because I refer you to this site where you can listen to an informative video of Shannon talking about the recording of these Bobby Charles songs and the friends and artists who contributed. You can also download for free four acoustic cuts from the studio album. How simple and good is that?


I am a big fan of Shannon's singing: it is full and warm and carries emotion with a mature ease. A favourite track from the album is the rather lush String of Hearts, a gorgeous melody, here draped in empathetic strings and an accompanying vocal from Vince Gill whose honeyed tone is also totally apt [and the acoustic version is superb]. With Dr John aiding the production as well as other input, you can guarantee there is also some rousing blues honky tonk - as with Charles' wonderfully titled Love In The Worst Degree -  so don't imagine it is all as prettified as my stated fav. 


And for interest: John Martyn performs a fine version of Small Town Talk on his covers album The Church With One Bell.

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