Shonna Tucker and Eye Candy - A Tell All

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 12 / 2 / 2014

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Review

There was always so much more to Shonna Tucker than being just the bass player in Drive-By Truckers; the handful of times when Tucker was allowed to contribute her own songs to their albums showed that, given the chance, she was a songwriter of some class. While Tucker’s own compositions didn’t always reach the heights of her more experienced band members when it came to writing, when she did get it right her songs almost stole the album. Tucker joined the Truckers in 2003 but amicably quit the band after eight years. One gets the feeling that Tucker was very much the George Harrison of the group. Maybe her songs were held back because the band had such strong material from the other members. All we know for sure is that if ‘A Tell All’ is representative of Tucker’s songwriting then her best work is going to come as a solo artist. The one flaw in that view is that ‘A Tell All’ isn’t a Shonna Tucker solo album; even though Tucker gets a separate credit this album just wouldn’t be the mini classic it is without the exceptional playing of the Eye Candy guys. Tucker’s choice of four known musicians from the Athens music scene - John Neff on pedal steel and guitar, Bo Bedingfield playing the guitar, Neil Golden adding so much to the overall sound with his keyboards and solid drumming from Clay Leverett - was more than a little inspired. Coupled with Tucker’s own bass playing, this band sound like they have been playing together for years. Tight doesn’t even come close to describing how these musicians play together. The country/soul groove these guys create together is perfect. Apart from Tucker’s time in Drive-By Truckers, helping out on albums by Booker T. Jones and Bettye Levett has obviously influenced Tucker’s current work. ‘A Tell All’ isn’t full of surprises. It’s what anyone familiar with Tucker’s past work could reasonably expect when Tucker is given the space and freedom to develop her songs and display her various influences over a whole album. What is surprising is just how damn good this band is and how they bring out the best in Tucker’s songs. While Tucker isn’t an exceptional vocalist and there’s nothing there that actually takes your breath away, you can’t help but be drawn into the little snapshots of life she creates in her songs, and much of this is down to the fact that Tucker has a familiar, inviting vocal style. While they won’t have you declaring that she’s the best singer you’ve ever heard, you simply can’t help but liking Tucker’s vocals. ‘Lonely People’ is one of the most tender vocal performances on the album, Tucker relating on it perfectly how we all search for that special one. The warmth that Tucker displays on this song is most affecting. It would also be credited as being one of the most prettiest and memorable melodies on ‘A Tell All’ if it wasn’t for the closing song that follows, ‘You Went All the Way’. What initially seems a simple love song really eats into your head, The band create a superb lazy R&B groove while Tucker shows that baring your soul doesn’t mean that you have to hit as many notes as possible in each word. Her vocals here are really outstanding. There’s a restrained soulfulness which is more effective than any amount of soul wailing. But although Tucker and her talented band end the album with a couple of superb country/soul ballads ‘A Tell All’ certainly doesn’t give any indication as it unfolds that it would finish that way. The album opens with ‘Since Jimmy Came’ a hook-laden slab of southern rock full of big, chiming guitars and short organ breaks, which is irresistible. The chugging ‘Your Jealously’ follows which is a brave move, as it has nothing in common with the previous song (apart from the excellent playing of the band), displaying as it does Tucker’s love of the country/soul genre; it’s another song that simply won’t leave you alone for the rest of the day. ‘Arielle’ is another attractive melody which gently floats along, Tucker’s innocent-sounding vocals are at odds with the disturbing lyrics (“Nine years old/Pure as gold/You messed up her bed”), but ultimately the disdain Tucker feels for the messed-up protagonist seeps through (“You’ve done things that you should be ashamed of/But you think that’s rock n’ roll”). Although an age-old subject given what is currently being written about in the British press, the song couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. ‘Old Fashioned’ is one of those songs that ends all too soon. At just over ninety seconds it recalls an early Mary Lou Lord song and leaves you wanting more of the same. A simple acoustic ballad can sometimes be all that’s needed, especially when it’s as touching as this one. Shonna Tucker, along with her talented bunch of Athens musicians, has put together an outstanding set of songs. At times Tucker sounds like the younger Dolly Parton both vocally and in her writing, ‘Linda Please’, the touching tale of a young mother beaten down by everyday life, is an exceptional piece of writing and is surely a match for early Parton songs like ‘Down From Dover’. Most people will come to this album because of Tucker’s Drive-By Truckers connections, but for all her sterling work with that band this is the first time Tucker has been allowed to show her talents to the full. Tucker has chosen a bunch of musicians perfectly suited to fulfill her vision, and we can only hope that this is just the start of a long partnership, ‘A Tell All’ is one of the most satisfying and complete albums that will come your way if you give it a chance.

Track Listing:-

1 Since Jimmy Came
2 Your Jealousy
3 Arielle
4 A Family Dinner
5 Old Fashioned
6 Linda Please
7 Austin Side
8 I Brought a Pie
9 Lonely People
10 You Went All the Way

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/ShonnaTuckerE
http://shonnatucker.net/
https://shonnatuckerandeyecandy.bandca