SHEL - Just Crazy Enough

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 16 / 6 / 2016

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Review

'Just Crazy Enough' is the second album is as many weeks, alongside Hollie Stephenson's eponymous debut album, from female singer-songwriters that features Dave Stewart as producer (here co-producing with the band and Brent Maher) and which, although covering totally different ground musically, is absolutely stunning. There’s never been any doubt about Stewart recognising extremely talented female singers but it’s beginning to feel that he has the monopoly on them! SHEL is the name the four Holbrook sisters perform under, taking the initial letter from their names for the title of the band. Eva handles the lead vocals as well as contributing mandolin, guitar, dobro and banjo; Sarah plays the violin and guitar; Hannah contributes piano, keyboards and organ while Liza takes the drum stool, adding beatboxing and percussion too. All three also lend their vocal skills. ‘Just Crazy Enough’ is the Colorado-raised foursome's second full-length album, who are now based in Nashville. The album is made up of nine original songs and a reinvention of Metallica’s ‘Enter Sandman’. There’s really only one criticism to be aimed at this album; at just over thirty minutes long it all ends far too soon. The way the girls' voices gel together as only siblings can and the quality of not only their writing and winning way with unusual melodies creates such a moving, mesmerising sound you feel you want it to surround you all day, not just for a limited time. Given their choice of instruments and the fact that the sisters studied classical music, there’s an expectation that the resulting sound will be steeped in that folky Americana sound that many are favouring just now. But trying to describe the sound that SHEL make is almost impossible. There’s not one genre that you can hang this sound on; it’s a fusion of so many different elements, many songs mixing acoustic instruments with interesting beats while never too far away from their heavenly four-way harmonies. Mixing folk with beats is nothing new, of course, but there’s a freshness to the way these women make their songs come to life. The catchy pop/folk of ‘I Know’, even though with sparse musical backing and addictive beats, leaves the listener almost breathless because of the vocal performance. While the instruments come and go at just the right times and add texture and space to it, it’s those combined voices that steal the song. It’s a vocal tour-de-force and far from the only song on the album that has this effect. That song is followed by ‘Enter Sandman’. The vocals which are on the brink of a sinister whisper are matched by the chilling arrangement. Again the choice of instruments is inspired and adds to the unsettled beauty that the band bring out in the song. It’s at the opposite end of the scale to the opening cut, ‘Is The Doctor In Today?’ With Eva’s vocals initially coupled with a stripped-down musical accompaniment, it’s chilling in another way. Those crystal-clear yet almost world-weary vocals can’t fail to touch the listener as this tale of searching unfolds. When Eva’s joined vocally by her siblings the effect is, once again, stunning. Sarah’s weeping violin plays a major part behind such lines as “Tell me is the child still alive/The one who used to look out through my eyes” and when those combined voices sing “Maybe you hear me late at night/I’ve been searching all my life” you can’t fail to be moved. For all the sensitivity shown in the vocals and the placing of instruments and beats, the whole album shares something of the same groove. ‘Rooftop’ and ‘You Could Be My Baby’ both share a welcome certain funkiness that is unexpected when looking down the list of instruments involved in the making of this album; the thought comes to mind if any other bands share Shel’s musical vision, there’s evidence that with ‘Just Crazy Enough’ Shel really are unique. With songs like ‘Lost As Anyone’, another thought-provoking lyric and outstanding arrangement and accompaniment, SHEL show that when it comes to making music that really displays unsettling beauty there are few that come close. ‘Just Crazy Enough’ is an unique album, one that, despite being musically bare at times, not only features four exceptional voices but is also one of the most creative collections of songs that you would have heard for some time without alienating the listener. There’s so much to discover and love in here and despite four differing, strong personalities coming together as one it flows together surprisingly well.

Track Listing:-

1 Is the Doctor in Today
2 You Could Be My Baby
3 Rooftop
4 Lost as Anyone
5 Let Me Do
6 Alternate Universe
7 I Know
8 Enter Sandman
9 Moonshine Hill
10 Stronger Than My Fears

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/iloveshelmusi
http://www.shelmusic.com/
https://twitter.com/iloveshelmusic
https://www.instagram.com/iloveshelmus
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_68Z
https://plus.google.com/+iLoveSHELmusi

Label Links:-

http://www.membran.net/
https://www.facebook.com/membrangroup/