Search - Shea Seger :: May Street Project

A cracking debut

Stephen Doig | New Zealand | 07/20/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Talented young singer-songwriter Shea Seger grew up in the rather uninspiring sounding locality of Quitman, Texas (pop. 1200). Filling in the days, she'd listen to her dad's diverse record collection featuring everyone from Johnny Cash to Curtis Mayfield, and dream of being a recording artist in her own right. In 2000, as if in direct defiance of her hometown's loserville name, she dropped The May Street Project, an ambitious, well-received debut, which suggested a very bright future lay ahead. Then, ........ nothing. No sooner had Seger appeared then she seemed to disappear off the musical radar altogether. Six years on, and her most ardent fans still wait patiently for a follow-up. None appears imminent.



The May Street Project, however, is testament to her brief flirtation with the music industry. It's a stylish, groovy and eclectic affair, one that draws on the immediacy of pop and rock, the warmth of soul and country, and the beats and textures of hip-hop. At times you're reminded of Fiona Apple (Last Time) or Beth Orton (I Love You Too Much) or other like-minded contemporary artists. But those formative days spent in silent rapture at the glorious, crackling sounds bursting forth from her father's gramophone have not been lost on her. A wealth of diverse influences have been boiled down into a compelling style and voice that is all her own. Seger's songs seem to embody so much of what is good about music -great melodies, gorgeous vocals, interesting and thoughtful lyrics and dope beats. For the record, Elton John was so smitten by Shea Seger that he snapped up 200 copies of The May Street Project for his celebrity friends, only to find that one of them, Madonna, already had one in her handbag. True story.



The attention-grabbing `Last Time' kicks off the record with almighty intent and remains one of her best known songs. The hypnotic single `Clutch' comes next and is carried along by a ridiculously groovy bassline - it's another early highlight. `Blind Situation' exudes an effortless cool and features a riveting yet laidback cameo from Pharrell Williams that hints at his early good form and soon-to-be superstardom. `Always' is a tender and moving ballad in which one of my other favourite songwriters Ron Sexsmith lends his sublime vocals and guitar. For all money, the soulful `Isn't It Good' sounds like some wonderful, lost, Al Green song. A quick check of the credits though, reveals it as being the masterwork of one Shea Seger, as well as her songwriting partners Nick Whitecross and Martin Terefe. On the strength of this song, and for that matter everything else on The May Street Project, it's a partnership that begs to be re-united.



A gem of a recording."