Shane Lamb
Disengage
Review By Steven Stone

  On his first solo release Shane Lamb delivers an even dozen bitter-sweet country-rock bon-bons. Although his music shares a genre populated by last-name folk-rock icons such as Dylan and Petty, Lamb's music vibrates with a level of originality and personal authenticity that rivals the heavyweights. Lamb's musical bio reads like the archetypical singer/songwriter's journey – a high school musical whizz from Rapid City, South Dakota, moves to Nashville, gets gigs touring with A-list country acts including Trisha Yearwood, Lee Roy Parnell, Delbert McClinton, writes a whole lot of songs, throws most of ‘em out, and finally records the best with the help of a friend Casey Woods.

Disengage is a concept album, something about personal loss and gain, but it doesn't get in the way of its pure visceral enjoyment. Major chords from multiple guitars with every juicy harmonic overtone are well represented. Some songs, such as "A While," are so melt-in-your-mouth beautiful with shimmering guitar chords mated to a decending melody line that you never want the tune to end. "The Change In Me" begins with a fast boogie beat and then makes a Nick Loweish left hand pop music twist into jangly pop heaven. "Dream Tonight" floats somewhere in the regions of Nick Drake and XTC – dreamy, ethereal, and upward bound. Lamb finds this place between sweet and sour, this musical balance, like a gossamer tightrope where his music lives. His arrangements are full, lush even, but never cloying.

If you enjoy Tom Petty, Poco, The Byrds, or Nick Lowe you owe it to yourself to give Shane Lamb a listen. I dare you to only play this album just once.

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