Shelter Valley Blues

Rick Shea | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 21, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tres Pescadores Records
• ASIN: B002EHEXT6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,518 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Low-key singer-songwriter country from SoCal veteran, July 22, 2009

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shelter Valley Blues (Audio CD)

Rick Shea's been a regular on the Southern California country scene for two decades now, having first sprung forward with the defiant Outside of Nashville and following up with a cut on the third volume of A Town South of Bakersfield compilation. The Bakersfield from which Shea takes inspiration is the singer-songwriter style of Merle Haggard's, rather than the telecaster sting of Buck Owens. Haggard's introspective near-folkie tone is strong on this latest release, with spare arrangements highlighting Shea's guitar playing and leaving his vocals mostly unadorned by harmonies. Ten originals are joined by a cover of "Fisherman's Blues" that's more spent than the Waterboys' original. The singing is understated, with a reserve that variously suggests distraction, introspection, resignation and carefully measured joy. Even when the band plays electric blues on "Nelly Bly," it's low and slow. The album picks up briefly to mid-tempo for the Norteño flavored "Sweet Little Pocha" and closes with the island-flavored steel-guitar instrumental "The Haleiwa Shuffle." This is a low-key album that's closer to singer-songwriter folk than country, and a pleasing addition to Shea's catalog. 3-3/4 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]