Search - Rick Shea :: Shelter Valley Blues

Shelter Valley Blues
Rick Shea
Shelter Valley Blues
Genres: Country, Folk, International Music, Pop
 
  •  Track Listings (11) - Disc #1

Shelter Valley lies midway between the mountains and the badlands east of San Diego - hard, desolate, beautiful and remote. Shelter Valley Blues is the title track of Rick Shea's latest album, a stark look at the tough pla...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Rick Shea
Title: Shelter Valley Blues
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Tres Pescadores Records
Original Release Date: 1/1/2009
Re-Release Date: 7/21/2009
Genres: Country, Folk, International Music, Pop
Styles: Americana, Roadhouse Country, Outlaw Country, Classic Country, Traditional Folk, North America, Appalachian
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 678277182127

Synopsis

Product Description
Shelter Valley lies midway between the mountains and the badlands east of San Diego - hard, desolate, beautiful and remote. Shelter Valley Blues is the title track of Rick Shea's latest album, a stark look at the tough places we sometimes find ourselves and the price we pay to get there. The mood of the album swings from the hard country of the title track to the Irish-tinged folk of Ty Robby to the Rockpile meets Tex-Mex romp of Sweet Little Pocha. Shea covers a wide spectrum of styles with confidence and ease yet always maintains respect and reverence for the music that reflects a career playing at venues from dusty San Bernardino honky-tonks to Madison Square Garden.LA Weekly called Shea 'staunchly independent' and said that he 'represents the best of California music.' His previous albums have been called 'dazzling' to 'stunningly good'. Over the years, Shea has released five critically acclaimed albums and worked with renowned artists such as roots rock kingpin Dave Alvin, folk chanteuse Katy Moffatt, and indie rock legends R.E.M.Shea is a deeply evocative singer and a formidable guitarist. Recorded at his home studio outside Los Angeles, Shea plays acoustic, electric, steel guitar and mandolin and is joined by guests including Heather Myles, Moira Smiley and, from Los Lobos, David Hidalgo and Cougar Estrada.Shelter Valley Blues is Shea's strongest effort yet and is a reminder of the depth and possibilities of country music and its traditions.Says Shea, 'When I first heard Merle Haggard I understood the deep personal expression that was possible in a song, over the years I've tried to write songs that in some way measure up to that.'

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CD Reviews

Low-key singer-songwriter country from SoCal veteran
hyperbolium | Earth, USA | 07/22/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Rick Shea's been a regular on the Southern California country scene for two decades now, having first sprung forward with the defiant Outside of Nashville and following up with a cut on the third volume of A Town South of Bakersfield compilation. The Bakersfield from which Shea takes inspiration is the singer-songwriter style of Merle Haggard's, rather than the telecaster sting of Buck Owens. Haggard's introspective near-folkie tone is strong on this latest release, with spare arrangements highlighting Shea's guitar playing and leaving his vocals mostly unadorned by harmonies. Ten originals are joined by a cover of "Fisherman's Blues" that's more spent than the Waterboys' original. The singing is understated, with a reserve that variously suggests distraction, introspection, resignation and carefully measured joy. Even when the band plays electric blues on "Nelly Bly," it's low and slow. The album picks up briefly to mid-tempo for the Norteño flavored "Sweet Little Pocha" and closes with the island-flavored steel-guitar instrumental "The Haleiwa Shuffle." This is a low-key album that's closer to singer-songwriter folk than country, and a pleasing addition to Shea's catalog. 3-3/4 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]"