Lauren O'Connell - The Shakes

Official album art, courtesy of Google Image Search

After the last post, I wanted to go back to something that is a little closer to my roots. Even though I have had this album for a while now, I want to take the time and review it for all of you, because this girl could use all of the exposure she can get.

Lauren O'Connell became one of my favorite artists almost instantaneously. As soon as I found a link to her YouTube channel, I knew I would fall in love with her music. From then on, I have been listening to her music as much as I possibly can, both as the acoustic, single guitar YouTube versions and the full band album versions. Really, you can't go wrong with anything this girl records.

Though she may not be the seasoned musician and songwriter that everyone may crave, Lauren O'Connell manages to her own life and her own feelings as well as any of the giants in folk music. Lauren is also nothing if not creative with her music, focusing not on always having the most expensive and fanciest instruments, but rather on having the most appropriate sound to accompany her haunting and methodical lyrics, often employing familiar instruments in uncommon ways--such as playing a banjo with a bow, or drumming on a tennis racket topped with pennies with a spoon. Even though I listen to Lauren O'Connell all day long, she is one of the few artists that I feel comfortable falling asleep to, and having her melodies swim around my head as I dream.