Wednesday, November 25, 2020

Shannon McNally Black Irish 2017

There are plenty of reasons that you should own this record.

The first is Shannon McNally's voice, which is just about perfect. A little Sheryl Crow, a little Kelly Willis, a little Bonnie Raitt. She can pour her heart out and still sound grounded. Her feeling creeps into every song, and yet she's never melodramatic. I can't really tell you, but when you hear her, you'll know.

The next reason is the song selection. McNally pens three songs, and they are top-notch. The bluesy I Went To The Well, the rocking Roll Away The Stone, and the quiet ballad Banshee Moan. Then there's the rest, all written by a-list songsmiths Robbie Robertson (a magnificent It Makes No Difference), Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Beth Nielson Chapman, JJ Cale (the slinky Low Rider), Muddy Waters (a smokin' hot The Stuff You Gotta' Watch), Stevie Wonder (an amazing, swinging reading of I Ain't Gonna Stand For It), and Guy and Susanna Clark.

Then there's the production by Rodney Crowell. Crowell is a veteran of the Nashville scene with a long list of credits as both star, sideman, writer and producer. Like the excellent records he produced for Rosanne Cash and others, he brings real skill to the producer's chair. Nothing out of place, nothing overdone, everything just right. Crowell also attracts great session players that all supply the perfect building blocks for these sturdy songs.

Along with great songs played and sung as well as possible, the recording is pristine. Now a great recording means nothing without the performance, but when the performance is there, great sound can add to your enjoyment. The vinyl version will make your stereo a star.

Shannon McNally should be a huge star. But even if that doesn't happen, it's no reason for you to miss out.

Thursday, November 5, 2020

Brian Auger and Julie Tippetts Encore 1978

Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll Tippetts made some great music together in the late sixties on two records by Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger and the Trinity, Open in 1967 and Streetnoise in 1969. Much of the best of those records (and a bunch of fine Auger singles from the sixties) can be had on Get Auger-Nized (The Mod Years) released in 2004 on vinyl. A two-CD set of Get-Auger-Nized The Mod Years/The Jazz Years includes The Mod Years on one CD and a second CD with Auger's Trinity and Oblivion Express bands featured. 

In 1978, they got back together for this delightful one-off. Some of the quirky-ness of their earlier work is smoothed out on this one, but they sound great together again. A fine reading of Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood showcases Tippett's stellar vocals, as do Jack Bruce's Rope Ladder To The Moon, Steve Winwood's No Time To Live, and two Al Jarreau penned tunes, Spirit and Lock All The Gates.Auger's own Git Up and Future Pilot are strong, and Julie gets soulful with the Staples' Freedom Highway.

No one sounds quite like Julie Driscoll Tippetts. I read a description of her as mid-way between Annie Lennox and Nina Simone, and that's probably as close as I could come. Her idiosyncratic styling reminds of Simone, and her clear, forceful voice rivals Lennox. But comparisons inevitably fail, because Julie is such a unique, soulful talent.

Brian Auger's Hammond B3 work is as hot as anyone's and his penchant for jazz-rock fusion makes him a singular force. I reviewed the Oblivion Express classic Closer To It! here.

Encore is one of those great finds in a used record bin.