Must Haves (not reggae): Shannon Wright "Over the Sun"

SuchFriendsAreDangerous · 03.27.2009, 04:17 PM

Artist: Shannon Wright
Album: Over The Sun
Label: Quarterstick
Review date: Apr. 8, 2004

Shannon Wright is the kind of songwriter who invents her style as she goes along. She started out with a more traditional folk sound on her solo debut Flightsafety, but her later compositions seem to follow their own sense of harmonic movement and rhythmic patterns. She doesn’t rely on the conventional chord progressions, drum beats, and vocal melodies that identify certain genres of indie rock; rather, Wright reaches farther back to influences like Johnny Lee Hooker, Ella Fitzgerald, and even Gang of Four, though exactly how they shape her songs isn’t so obvious.

It’s a rare treat when a musician gets harder with age instead of mellowing out. On her fourth record Over the Sun, Wright’s voice has slipped further back into her throat, escaping only through clenched teeth. Her guitar riffs conjure up the raw passion of blues, her voice is used more like an instrument than a vehicle for lyrics, and her D.I.Y. ethic toward making music reflects a rebellious punk rock attitude. Wright is completely self-taught on both guitar and piano, surprising given the amazing precision and control on display.

That precision is taken a little too far on Over the Sun, which seems derived mostly from the same tempos, key signatures and rhythms, resulting in a rather homogenous tone. A few tracks break from monotony. "Black Little Stray" brings to mind classic-rock Neil Young, and "If Only We Could" is the most dissonant and erratic of the bunch with its clashing tritones and minor second intervals. Two songs feature piano rather than guitar, but continue in the same melancholy. "Avalanche" consists of slow jazz-like chords and rhythms reminiscent of Keith Jarrett, especially when Wright plays descending runs and frenetically pounds the keys while holding the damper pedal. On "Throw a Blanket Over the Sun," she arpeggiates the chords with her left hand and croons "No love is here" over and over, ending with a powerful wail.

Producer Steve Albini's fingerprints are all over Over the Sun. He captures an immediacy usually limited to live performances, and the drums have a resonating openness, perhaps Albini's more identifiable trait. It's as if he suspended a single mic from the ceiling above the drum kit and Christina Files (Mary Timony and Swirlies) just banged away. Wright's voice usually lies low in the mix, also contributing to creating the live sound.

Despite Wright’s claim that she doesn’t listen to many of her contemporaries, comparisons can’t be avoided. Her approach to arrangement is similar the aforementioned Timony’s and her raw delivery calls to mind P.J. Harvey. However, Wright’s songwriting is truly honest and untainted by the whims of current trends and her unique percussive style on the guitar shines through above all else on Over the Sun.

By Amber Drea

Shannon Wright
Over the Sun [Quarterstick; 2004]

Styles: indie rock, experimental rock
Others: PJ Harvey, Cat Power, Sunny Day Real Estate

The first time I heard Shannon Wright was on Rachel’s 2003 album, System/Layers, though I didn’t make the connection until a week after jamming out Over the Sun. With the Rachel’s track ("Last Things Last"), Wright displayed a rather soothing, controlled voice, enhancing an already soothing album. Here, she gets a bit more rugged. And when I say ’a bit’ I mean a lot. Over the Sun is a straight rock album by my standards, and as such, the guitar and drums have a tendency to lay it down. A soft to loud dynamic is definitely in place, along with Wright’s melancholy lyrics and rough around the edges delivery. That might not sound very appealing in writing, but what saves this recording from being passable is a group of tight compositions.

The punchy guitar riffs and minor key rants give the album a cohesive mood, yet each song out of context can still give any PJ Harvey fan an instant hard on. The tunes are especially accessible if you’re into this kind of basic moody rock, and actually, one of my only complaints is that things don’t get experimental enough. So there’s some piano wankery on "Avalanche," the only cut without drums, but for the most part, the selections are pretty straightforward. If the Postal Service is all you’ve been listening to lately, I would suggest getting a hold of Over the Sun as soon as possible. It would do you good. On the other hand, if you’ve been loving your newest Melt Banana album or whatever Techno Noize Core album came out last week, this might set you back a few years.

1. With Closed Eyes
2. Portray
3. Black Little Stray
4. You’ll Be the Death
5. Throw a Blanket Over the Sun
6. Avalanche
7. If Only We Could
8. Plea
9. Birds

With Closed Eyes
Portray (live)
Black Little Stray
Avalanche (live)

SuchFriendsAreDangerous · 03.27.2009, 05:59 PM

trust me, this one is worth the bump or Steve Albini wouldn't have wasted his time to record that album in the first place..

Glice · 03.27.2009, 06:51 PM

I know someone who owned a label in the late 90s. One of the bands on that label had a single produced by Steve Albini. I understand every single one of those singles remain unsold.

This isn't particularly a dig at Steve Albini, but he is merely a producer.

I have no strong opinions on Shannon Wright.

SuchFriendsAreDangerous · 03.27.2009, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glice

I know someone who owned a label in the late 90s. One of the bands on that label had a single produced by Steve Albini. I understand every single one of those singles remain unsold.

This isn't particularly a dig at Steve Albini, but he is merely a producer.

I have no strong opinions on Shannon Wright.

my opinions are very strong regarding Shannon Wright in the positive connotation..

in regards to Steve Albini, his popularity (or lack there of) aside, he is a phenomenally talented 'recordist' and his talent especially shines through in this album by Shannon Wright. I don't think anyone else could have properly captured the sound of here live performances as are found in this record

atsonicpark · 03.27.2009, 06:56 PM

Glice, your post reminds me of my friend who is in a band who was checking the electrical audio site and saw that the prices for Albini recording his music was supercheap, to which he said, "MAN! IF I COULD JUST GET ALBINI TO RECORD ME........." You know, yada yada. I then named a few random Albini-recorded bands no one has ever heard of. He was like, "Yeah, but he recorded Nirvana..." and yada yada. There's no arguing with these people, and it brings to mind an excellent quote by Montagne... "Let us not forget that philosophers and kings and even ladies too must defecate."

Glice · 03.27.2009, 07:15 PM

Well, precisely. Melt Banana sounded like shit when Albini recorded them, while the MOAM record he did may be their best. I think the difference between Albini and a lot of producers is that he's not a 'name' producer per se, he's someone who's available for hire at an average price. There's no real 'Albini sound' or anything.

Incidentally, I really liked Zorn's production on the Melt Banana record he did.

SuchFriendsAreDangerous · 03.28.2009, 05:34 PM

one more bump for the weekend, its a good album.

03.27.2009, 04:17 PM	#1
SuchFriendsAreDangerous invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: fucking Los Angeles Posts: 14,801	Artist: Shannon Wright Album: Over The Sun Label: Quarterstick Review date: Apr. 8, 2004 Shannon Wright is the kind of songwriter who invents her style as she goes along. She started out with a more traditional folk sound on her solo debut Flightsafety, but her later compositions seem to follow their own sense of harmonic movement and rhythmic patterns. She doesn’t rely on the conventional chord progressions, drum beats, and vocal melodies that identify certain genres of indie rock; rather, Wright reaches farther back to influences like Johnny Lee Hooker, Ella Fitzgerald, and even Gang of Four, though exactly how they shape her songs isn’t so obvious. It’s a rare treat when a musician gets harder with age instead of mellowing out. On her fourth record Over the Sun, Wright’s voice has slipped further back into her throat, escaping only through clenched teeth. Her guitar riffs conjure up the raw passion of blues, her voice is used more like an instrument than a vehicle for lyrics, and her D.I.Y. ethic toward making music reflects a rebellious punk rock attitude. Wright is completely self-taught on both guitar and piano, surprising given the amazing precision and control on display. That precision is taken a little too far on Over the Sun, which seems derived mostly from the same tempos, key signatures and rhythms, resulting in a rather homogenous tone. A few tracks break from monotony. "Black Little Stray" brings to mind classic-rock Neil Young, and "If Only We Could" is the most dissonant and erratic of the bunch with its clashing tritones and minor second intervals. Two songs feature piano rather than guitar, but continue in the same melancholy. "Avalanche" consists of slow jazz-like chords and rhythms reminiscent of Keith Jarrett, especially when Wright plays descending runs and frenetically pounds the keys while holding the damper pedal. On "Throw a Blanket Over the Sun," she arpeggiates the chords with her left hand and croons "No love is here" over and over, ending with a powerful wail. Producer Steve Albini's fingerprints are all over Over the Sun. He captures an immediacy usually limited to live performances, and the drums have a resonating openness, perhaps Albini's more identifiable trait. It's as if he suspended a single mic from the ceiling above the drum kit and Christina Files (Mary Timony and Swirlies) just banged away. Wright's voice usually lies low in the mix, also contributing to creating the live sound. Despite Wright’s claim that she doesn’t listen to many of her contemporaries, comparisons can’t be avoided. Her approach to arrangement is similar the aforementioned Timony’s and her raw delivery calls to mind P.J. Harvey. However, Wright’s songwriting is truly honest and untainted by the whims of current trends and her unique percussive style on the guitar shines through above all else on Over the Sun. By Amber Drea Shannon Wright Over the Sun [Quarterstick; 2004] Styles: indie rock, experimental rock Others: PJ Harvey, Cat Power, Sunny Day Real Estate The first time I heard Shannon Wright was on Rachel’s 2003 album, System/Layers, though I didn’t make the connection until a week after jamming out Over the Sun. With the Rachel’s track ("Last Things Last"), Wright displayed a rather soothing, controlled voice, enhancing an already soothing album. Here, she gets a bit more rugged. And when I say ’a bit’ I mean a lot. Over the Sun is a straight rock album by my standards, and as such, the guitar and drums have a tendency to lay it down. A soft to loud dynamic is definitely in place, along with Wright’s melancholy lyrics and rough around the edges delivery. That might not sound very appealing in writing, but what saves this recording from being passable is a group of tight compositions. The punchy guitar riffs and minor key rants give the album a cohesive mood, yet each song out of context can still give any PJ Harvey fan an instant hard on. The tunes are especially accessible if you’re into this kind of basic moody rock, and actually, one of my only complaints is that things don’t get experimental enough. So there’s some piano wankery on "Avalanche," the only cut without drums, but for the most part, the selections are pretty straightforward. If the Postal Service is all you’ve been listening to lately, I would suggest getting a hold of Over the Sun as soon as possible. It would do you good. On the other hand, if you’ve been loving your newest Melt Banana album or whatever Techno Noize Core album came out last week, this might set you back a few years. 1. With Closed Eyes 2. Portray 3. Black Little Stray 4. You’ll Be the Death 5. Throw a Blanket Over the Sun 6. Avalanche 7. If Only We Could 8. Plea 9. Birds With Closed Eyes Portray (live) Black Little Stray Avalanche (live) __________________ Today Rap music is the Lakers
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03.27.2009, 05:59 PM	#2
SuchFriendsAreDangerous invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: fucking Los Angeles Posts: 14,801	trust me, this one is worth the bump or Steve Albini wouldn't have wasted his time to record that album in the first place.. __________________ Today Rap music is the Lakers
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03.27.2009, 06:56 PM	#5
atsonicpark invito al cielo Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 28,843	Glice, your post reminds me of my friend who is in a band who was checking the electrical audio site and saw that the prices for Albini recording his music was supercheap, to which he said, "MAN! IF I COULD JUST GET ALBINI TO RECORD ME........." You know, yada yada. I then named a few random Albini-recorded bands no one has ever heard of. He was like, "Yeah, but he recorded Nirvana..." and yada yada. There's no arguing with these people, and it brings to mind an excellent quote by Montagne... "Let us not forget that philosophers and kings and even ladies too must defecate." __________________
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

03.28.2009, 05:34 PM	#7
SuchFriendsAreDangerous invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: fucking Los Angeles Posts: 14,801	one more bump for the weekend, its a good album. __________________ Today Rap music is the Lakers
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|