Virginia-born, Alabama-raised singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne at her best has a voice to die for, although in the past not all her albums have worked out like they could or should. She is still a lady you need to check-out, thoroughly each and every time a new album from her hits the street. I Can’t Imagine is no different, packed with emotion tales of everyday struggles, recollections of old and recent times as Lynne speaks of what was going on her life at the time of writing the material.
Her feet drop straight into the stirrups on “Paper Van Gogh”, a song she says is like a self-portrait as she speaks of never being perfect, but in art’s eyes everything is perfect. There’s something for you to muse on. With a steady flow of quality material, Lynne reflections on life and errors made without becoming heavy in the likes of “Son Of A Gun” speaks of a time long before she was born. This as she tells of migrant workers who struggle to stretch their resources back in the Great Depression (her grandparents), but it could equally apply to people today; ‘Hunkered down low / Under a bridge / The Voice in my belly/ Is my only friend’, and with a storm brewing both in the lyrics she speaks of how there is a cloud hanging above her, and with an accompanying pounding rhythm, strong harmony vocals and exciting sound of the Dobro sparks fly as “Be In The Now” brushes aside all other thoughts to force its way into your muse. Great stuff; and with the tempting, melancholy “Following You” straight after on the record there is no let up in the quality.
Lynne’s musical soul a combination of country, soul, blues, pop and jazz (Billie Holiday is one of her many influences) will forever be the greater part Southern, Alabama’s historic Muscle Shoals influences can be heard as in whispered tones she caresses the lyrics. Plus as already mentioned there is that voice! Sultry, expressive and on occasions she lets rip one of the most powerful of her age. Recorded in Maurice, Louisiana Lynne wrote most of the material for I Can’t Imagine in a swift burst of active in 2012. Five are solo compositions, two co-writes with fellow recording act Ron Sexsmith, and two with band member Pete Donnelly (guitar, keyboards) “Better” (aided by piano, percussion, organ and brilliant harmony vocals) “I Can’t Imagine” plus “Sold The Devil (Sunshine)” with Ben Peeler (guitar). Others to contribute include Clarence Greenwood, better known as Citizen Cope (harmony vocals), Ed Maxwell (bass) and Michael Jerome (drums).
Maurice Hope