New singer/songwriter’s talents in full bloom
Reviewed by Carson James
Shannon Venasse/The Lion’s Share
Shannon Venasse is a new artist of promise, some of which is in full bloom on her album, The Lion’s Share. Venasse is a talented singer/songwriter who will eventually evolve into something special. You can hear the future in “Met Your Match,” wherein her singing is reminscent of Chrissie Hynde’s bittersweet glow, and in the K.D. Lang-ish dreamy romanticism of the title track. Those songs are so good that they threaten to outshine the remainder of The Lion’s Share.
Nevertheless, with repeated spins most of the cuts on the album start displaying qualities that make this record a worthwhile purchase. “Days Roll By” features sun-gold mandolin that gives the song added spice while the jubilant trumpets in “You Lost Me” inject it with a ’60s vibe. I love how naked and sparse Venasse’s voice is in “Surprise,” and “Life’s Little Questions” has her sharpest lyrics.
The production is a cut above the usual indie scale, which is important in relatively mellow singer/songwriter offerings such as this.
http://www.myspace.com/shannonvenasse
