Shannon and the Clams
The Moon Is In The Wrong Place
***and1/2 out of *****
Frontwoman/bassist Shannon Shaw of the indie-rock outfit Shannon and the Clams, suffered a tragic loss with the death of her fiancé Joe Haener in a car crash just weeks before their wedding in 2022. The devastation of this was overwhelming for Shaw who threw herself into her band's newest record The Moon Is In The Wrong Place, and album closer "Life Isn't Fair" says it all:
How do you expect me to understand/That the love of my life was taken away from me/All the blossoms blooming, twilight looming/Without you on this earth?/Life is unfair/Yet beautiful/I see it now.
Being able to make art, survive, and keepin' on is commendable for Shaw as the band (Cody Blanchard – (vocals, guitar) Nate Mahan – (drums) Will Sprott – (vocals, keyboards)) craft a sonic mix, very much like their past excellent albums on Easy Eye Sound (all produced by Dan Auerbach), allowing Shaw to explore emotions and sing with passion, pain, and optimism.
A classic love song from Shaw kicks thing off and sets the tone as "The Vow" uses inspiration from The Chordettes and horns, as the yearning vocals are tear wrenching with Shaw using her unspoken wedding day vows as the lyrical foundation. The band stays in that 50's dreamy vibe musically with restrained charm on "Oh So Close, Yet So Far" (which also has the most surprising guest of any release in a while, Mick Foley on Handclaps!), the slow waltzing "So Lucky" which delivers gorgeous harmonies, and the torch song "Real or Magic" which delivers even more heart on her sleeve singing/lyrics from Shaw.
The band has always moved between poppy indie rock and more artsy experimental music and that continues here. On the poppy side of things "What You're Missing" uses chimes and a sunshiny feel, the upbeat live-life-to-the-fullest "Bean Fields" cooks with joy and the Mama and the Poppa's 60's radio pop of "UFO" moves slightly towards the psychedelia acid waves.
More in that vein is the warbling, tripped out tempos of the fuzzy "Big Wheel", digital bleeps/crazy percussion kick up on the excellent title track, and "Dali's Clock" is off-kilter in odd ways not as successful as some of the other offerings. The beach rock of the swaying "Golden Brown" lets Shaw's pained vocals float through the breeze while "The Hourglass" just may be the best of the bunch with snaking guitars, banging punk-like percussion, ripping bass, cosmic keyboards, and ominous tone; capturing everything the band does well.
Knowing the backstory and inspiration for The Moon Is In The Wrong Place adds to the depth of the record, but even coming in fresh, Shannon and the Clams newest, deeply personal album, continues the bands strong run of successful artistic works.
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