Shannon McNally's 'Jukebox' Holds Musical Va …
Shannon McNally's 'Jukebox' Holds Musical Variety
Shannon McNally may have been born and bred in Long
Island, N.Y., but deep down she's got a dusty, Southern
soul that's as rich as a tobacco field.
Anyone fortunate enough to catch one of her backroads
tunes on the radio or at one of her shows would probably
describe them as sounding like an afternoon spent relaxing
on a big porch in Louisiana. Her full-length debut,
"Jukebox Sparrows" (released Jan. 15 via Capitol), is a
slow-cooked, bait-and-tackle collection of guitar songs
that pay homage to the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow,
and Neil Young, while maintaining plenty of their own
earthy charms.
"Recording the album was a highly organic process,"
McNally says. "It was natural, because I worked with
visionaries and great musicians."
Produced by Ron Aniello over 11 months at Cello Studios in
Los Angeles, "Jukebox Sparrows" reveals itself as a
surprisingly confident musical and lyrical offering for
such a young songwriter.
Running the gamut from whiskey-drenched, slide-guitar rock
songs to gentle piano ballad lamentations, the 27-year-old
McNally exudes a cool and sexy presence from start to
finish.
"I think the record is accessible. I really do," McNally
says. "It has strong melodies, and I don't think it's over
anyone's head. It's smack dab in the middle of everything.
Lyrically, I create scenarios where the characters are
observers, where the people are sort of watchers. I like
the idea of being invisible. Songs are invisible; they
come through you."
The first single, "Down and Dirty" is showing promise at
triple-A radio, and a video for the song has been directed
by David Palmer. The frolicking, upbeat number showcases
McNally's dynamic, smoky voice, and it addresses being in
love with an aloof and distant individual ("Don't you know
I love you when you're down and dirty/Don't you know I
love you when you're clean").
McNally attributes her soulful approach to songwriting as
a product of her upbringing. "As a kid, I was just taken
with things like being outside and animals," she says. "I
was a real bookworm as a child. My parents and I spent a
lot of time camping in Maine, and I was sheltered from pop
culture a bit while growing up. I never paid much
attention to it."
This childhood preoccupation with natural landscapes,
along with a love of mythology and the literature of
renowned naturalist/conservationist John Muir, eventually
drew her to Irish folk music, as well as blues and R&B --
music she calls "clean air music."
McNally derives influence from commonly adored musicians
to lesser-known, personally cherished favorites. "I like
to keep the staple singers around me," she says. "I like
Muddy Waters and Tom Waits. I've also been listening to
the Blind Boys of Alabama."
Doneen Lombardi, senior director of marketing at Capitol,
says "There really is no one else like Shannon. She sits
between being mainstream, as in commercial radio, and
being a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter. She
doesn't necessarily fit into one specific genre or format.
We believe that the combination of her amazing voice, her
brilliant songwriting, and her spirit is what will strike
a chord with a broad audience. This is really going to be
a word-of-mouth kind of record. For us, Shannon is
definitely a labor of love."
McNally earned a place at Capitol after years spent on the
coffeehouse and small-club circuit. In the summer of 2000,
she performed alongside artists Amy Correia, Kendall
Payne, and Tara MacLean for the Girl's Room tour. She also
played last summer on the Levi's second stage at several
Stevie Nicks' concerts. In anticipation of the release of
"Jukebox Sparrows," McNally is currently touring the U.S.
with Robert Randolph and the Family Band.
"I love touring, and I love to perform," she says. "It
fulfills the same feeling for me when I would go to
concerts as a teenager. I would just be high for days and
days; I'd be so excited. I try to stay balanced while on
the road. I try to limit the roller coaster and not get
too excited or too depressed."
McNally humbly accepts the comparisons to Raitt and Crow
that people make of her music. "I grew up listening to
Bonnie Raitt. I think she is a true blues musician, an
honorable artist, and a wonderful example for young women.
Music is definitely communal, and none of us exist in a
vacuum. It's an honor to be grouped in with that kind of
company."
McNally has also been mentioned in the same breath as
other current roots-revivalist practitioners like
Beachwood Sparks and Ryan Adams -- and she also feels at
home within this community. McNally also recently recorded
an acoustic seven-song EP, "Ran on Pure Lightening!" with
kindred spirit and friend Neal Casal.
From a radio perspective, response to McNally has been
favorable. "Her songs are soulful, they're funky and
there's a rock'n'roll element to them," says Bruce Warren,
program director at WXPN Philadelphia. "The album is
well-produced, but has a very organic sound. She has a few
of the elements artists need to make it: She can perform
live, she's smart, and I think she cares about the people
who listen to her music."
McNally's Web site (shannonmcnally.com) currently features
downloadable versions of "Down and Dirty" and "Bitter
Blue," both from "Jukebox Sparrows." She is scheduled to
perform the song "Now That I Know" Jan. 23 on NBC's "Late
Night With Conan O'Brien" and March 26 on "The Late Show
With David Letterman."
--
gender is just an excuse, relationship shouldn't just be an excuse,
love is often an excuse, although sometimes these excuses are all
we have to hold onto,
death is the reason and living is the celebration
- Beth Orton
--
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