Friday , March 29 2024
Guitar warrior Shane Dwight has returned with his 7th CD release, which is filled with a hundred white lies.

Music Review: Shane Dwight – A Hundred White Lies

Shane Dwight’s publicity bio states that he has performed 2,000 live shows over the last 10 years. That, my friend, is a lot of concerts. He has also released seven CDs, which have been moderately successful, selling in excess of 60,000 copies.

He is one of those extraordinary guitarists who seem to float under the radar. His ability to compose and create a fusion of melodic and tough blues/rock songs is first-rate. And along the way he has shared the stage with such artists as B.B. King, Los Lobos, The Marshall Tucker Band, Johnny Winter, Etta James, The Doobie Brothers, and Jimmie Vaughan.

His sound tends to tread the line between rock and blues, every so often treading into what could be called alternative country.

A Hundred White Lies is his latest release and many of the tracks deal with the dark side of his recent life, including the ending of a relationship. The title track and “She Struts 22” are songs about temptation, while “Love’s Last Letter” and “Broken” explore the pain of separation and divorce. “True Love’s Gone” essentially summarizes his painful journey.

Dwight, who wrote 11 of the album’s 12 tracks and plays lead guitar, gathered a stellar group of musicians to assist him, including keyboardist/acoustic guitarist/producer Kevin McKendree, rhythm/slide guitarist Rob McNelley, bassist Stephen Mackey, drummer Lynn Williams, harmonica player Mike Henderson, and backup singers the McCrary Sisters and Bekka Bramlett.

A number of strong tracks appear throughout. “Call Me” has it all, from a strong but ominous melody to creative guitar solos to Bramlett’s fine backing vocals. “True Love’s Gone” moves in a country direction vocally but Dwight’s guitar playing brings it back toward the blues, creating a unique fusion of sound. ”Black Ice” is good ol’ barroom rock ‘n’ roll. “I’m Talkin’ To You” is tough blues/rock in the George Thorogood tradition.

A Hundred White Lies is another energetic and creative album by an under-appreciated guitar warrior. If you are in the mood for some pulsating guitar playing and incisive lyrics, give this a listen.

 

About David Bowling

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