Music Review: Shannon Moore – Evaporate

There's something about Shannon Moore that struck me from the first note I heard — something natural and honest. Her first CD on the new 10 Spot label, a Water Music Records Group imprint, Evaporate is a showcase of this singer-songwriter's talent.

Not a newbie to the music industry, Moore spent time opening for Radiohead, Peter Frampton, and Jewel as part of the band Deep Julia, and saw moderate success in her native Canada. Once you listen to the album, you won't be surprised to find out her songs have been placed on television shows such as Felicity, Meet My Folks, and MTV’s Real World as well as movies. Her songs are slice-of-life narratives, not only emotional but expressively conveyed. They are the perfect backdrop for the sort of shows mentioned above. Not surprisingly, they have also appeared on the ABC soaps One Life to Live and General Hospital

Now, she's looking to the future with Evaporated, a collection of heart-felt laments and yarns, backed with stripped accompaniment, and delivered with her unique earthy voice. Comparisons have been made between her and Chrissie Hynde, Amiee Mann, and Sheryl Crow. While I could definitely hear influences from those talented ladies, the similarities only scratch the surface of what Moore can deliver.

The track "Who I Am Now" seems to embrace the idea of life-learned experiences and how they shape you. It has an interesting rhythmic backing with a smoky and seductive lilt to her voice reflecting pain and passion enveloped together. In the same vein is "Listen to You Talk." As with most singer-songwriter fare, the emphasis is on the poignant lyrics and their delivery. In Moore's case they are rich and fervent and her conveyance is surreal, at times dreamy, and enchanting.

The most uplifting sounding track on the album, "Quicksand," is also the best showcase of Moore's talent and range. The clip below of the single will give you a taste of what the album is about and is a precise representation of the sound that is woven through every track. But the visuals in the video are only somewhat as vibrant as her lyrical descriptions and animated stage presence.

Evaporate is the first release for the newly formed 10 Spot label. In an attempt to be competitive with iTunes' standard rate of .99 per track, 10 Spot promises ten tracks for ten dollars, with the advantage of having a CD instead of MP4 files. The Water Music Records Group President Brad Pressman said in a recent press release, “10 Spot gives the consumer ten good reasons to buy physical product. Offering ten tracks for ten dollars while getting the benefit of the CD package, the look, the feel, liner notes, artwork, and artist information, it’s like a free gift with purchase.”

Overall Evaporate is a moody album of simplicities. Bare bones instrumentations are intricately woven, and emotions are honestly poured out. I can recommend this album to fans of singer-songwriter influenced acoustic indie rock. Check out Shannon Moore for yourself through the above video clip, her official website, or her Myspace profile page. A streaming MP3 of "Quicksand" is also available.