Typical pop music, these days, is all about effects, preprocessed beats, and lyrics that, admittedly, don't have the most thought put into them. At the same time, an advent of sorts is taking place with a sudden popularity of female singer/songwriters, what with artists like Feist, Corinne Bailey Rae, Yael Naïm, and arguably the most universally recognizable, Regina Spektor.
Following suit is emerging artist, Shannon Corey, who has been featured by several magazines and even on MTV's The Real World: Cancun. And with her release of Overdue, the EP to follow up Unsaid, it's not difficult to see where all the hype comes from.
A five-song EP, it includes two versions of the title track (full length, and radio edit). It opens with the full length version, which remains both musically interesting and catchy. An unusual feature of this song is its constantly changing nature, whether in mood, instrumentation, tempo, and even time signature. I commend Corey's ability to make all these work within a song, although some listeners may feel that the changes break the fluidity of the song, especially those related to time signature.
The next song, “Let Me Out” is unmistakably edgier, with its heavier drums and more distinct guitars. It can be compared to a very stripped down Evanescence, in both lyrical style and musicality. But don't expect the operatic vocals of Amy Lee. Corey's vocals, throughout the album, maintain a very clean, natural sounding beauty, perfectly suited for her brand of piano-pop.
The next two tracks take a much slower approach. When I first heard “Sunday Morning,” my immediate reaction was that lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally, it could have just as easily been a Regina Spektor song. Given that she is an excellent songwriter and musician, that is in no way a criticism. It also presents some previously nonexistent mandolin that gives the song a pronounced folk-y kind of feel. The next song's main focus is apparent, even made clear within the title: “The Guitar Song.” Throughout, a soft acoustic progression is played, with beautifully harmonized piano in the chorus. It then builds up to a last chorus and outro that ties the entire package together, complete with strings and pump organ.
The album ends with the radio edit of “Overdue” which unfortunately cuts out what, in my opinion, is the most noteworthy section of the song. By the end however, it's apparent and needless to say that Shannon Corey is a talented singer/songwriter. Her work is an excellent display of her natural talents, in all respects. My main criticism is that Overdue, as a whole, lacks a certain distinctive quality. In other words, it's good music, but there's nothing that hasn't been done before that would make it stand out among other releases of the same genre. In any case, it's cute, it's charming, and needless to say, it's definitely enjoyable.
November 6, 2009
