I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Black Irish, by Shannon McNally and it's quite good. Opening with You Made Me Feel For You, McNally on lead vocal delivers the blues with a country flair backed by Jerry Roe on drums, Michael Rhodes on bass, Micah Hulscher on keys and Audley Freed and Colin Linden on guitars. A solid opener. Stevie Wonder's I Ain't Gonna Stand For It with a country twist is nicely enhanced by closely matched backing vocals featuring Wendy Moten and Rodney Crowell and the steel guitr riffs of Jim Hoke. Original track, I Went To The Well, is rooted in the blues with a note of Elmore James and reinforced by Lex Price on bass. Another self penned track, Roll Away The Stone has a rock feel and wailing sax by Jim Hoke. J.J. Cale's Low Rider has a soothing touch, enhanced nicely by McNally's smokey voice. Chapman/Crowell ballad, Isn't That Love, is really a nice track and McNally delivers the goods. On Muddy Waters' Stuff You Gotta Watch, McNally throws a curve giving it country swing. A cool harp solo by Hoke works nicely with interwoven instrumental by Freed, Linden and Hulscher. My favorite track on the release is Robbie Robertson's It Makes No Difference. It's not only an excellent composition but an excellent choice for McNally's voice, complimented by backing vocalists Tanya Hancheroff and Kim Keys. Wrapping the release with Pop Staples track, Let's Go Home, McNally maintains a spiritual feel but adds country spunk. Very nice closer for a cool release.
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