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Fans of ObliqSound will not be surprised that this album sounds nothing like Grand Pianoramax’s The Biggest Piano In Town or Massimo Biolcati’s Persona as they continue to create their own sound mosaic from all sorts of differing genres be it folk (in Shannon’s case), jazz, world or electronic.

The opener ‘Forgiveness’ sets the theme of gentle acoustic guitar and Shannon’s tender vocals that all the tracks follow. Comparisons with John Martyn and Nick Drake are inequitable I suppose but it gives you an idea of the quality of his compositions and playing. ‘Somewhere’ being typical of the album.

John Shanon - ‘Somewhere’ Video directed by Carsten Fleck

On some of the tracks Shannon is accompanied by a hint of cello or upright bass, background vocals of Caroline McMahon or his own electric guitar but mostly it’s just his tender vocals and acoustic guitar. By the time you get to the last track, I’d have to be pretty hard hearted not to have been touched somewhere by these songs. ‘Lion’s Mane’ is my current favourite of the set but they are all exceptional.

Shannon is on tour for the best part of the next two months, starting this Tuesday in NYC, then opening for Sonya Kitchell in Colorado and Utah and then with Hiromi across Europe and Japan. This album is even more ‘Camp Fire Mix’ than John Matthias’ Tales From The Watercooler so try and catch him live when he gets to your town before others catch onto how good he is.

Forthcoming Tour Dates
Solo
Oct 14: Canal Room’s “Artists You Should Know” series (7:30 PM) / New York, NY
Solo, Opening for Sonya Kitchell:
Oct 15: The Fox Theatre / Boulder, CO
Oct 16: Walnut Room / Denver, CO
Oct 17: Belly Up / Aspen, CO
Oct 18: Urban Lounge / Salt Lake City, UT
With Hiromi’s Sonicbloom:
Oct 31: Tampere Jazz / Tampere, Finland
Nov 3: Catania Teatro Metropolitan / Catania, Italy
Nov 4: Palermo Teatro Golden / Palermo, Italy
Nov 5: Caltanissetta Teatro Regina Margherita / Caltanissetta, Italy
Nov 7: Cultural Foundation / Madrid, Spain
Nov 8: Jamboree Jazz Club / Barcelona, Spain
Nov 9: Auditorio de Zaragoza / Zaragoza, Spain
Nov 16: ZEPP Sendai / Sendai, Japan
Nov 18: Matsuyama Community Center / Matsuyama, Japan
Nov 19: Hiroshima Aster Plaza / Hiroshima, Japan
Nov 20: ZEPP Fukuoka / Fukuoka, Japan
Nov 21: Shimane Prefectural Assembly Hall / Matsue, Japan
Nov 23: Tokyo International Forum Hall C / Tokyo, Japan
Nov 24: Osaka Welcity Hall / Osaka, Japan
Nov 26: Osaka Sankei Hall Breeze / Osaka, Japan
Nov 27: Niigata Ryutopia Theater / Niigata, Japan
Nov 28: Sapporo Doushin Hall / Sapporo, Japan
Nov 30: Gifu Tajimi Culture Hall / Tajimi, Japan
Solo
Dec 12: Your Inner Vagabond / Pittsburgh, PA

Reviewed: John Shannon - American Mystic (ObliqSound) Cat. No. 823889910525 Release date: 28 July 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Forgiveness (2:59)
2 Golden Eagle (3:38)
3 Butterfly (3:45)
4 Under The Stars (4:14)
5 Somewhere (4:34)
6 All The Way (3:10)
7 Falling Into All (3:56)
8 Lion’s Mane (4:42)
9 Seasons (3:23)
10 Among The Sea, Among The Star (5:12)

Links
www.obliqsound.com
www.johnshannonmusic.com
www.iodapromonet.com
www.myspace.com/sonyakitchell