Over and Even

I first heard about this album via a piece on NPR, and loved Shelley's sound. I ordered the album for my mom and she says she listens to it all the time. She calls it a massage for her brain. Great sound engineering, mostly just acoustic guitar and vocals, and Shelley's voice is just amazing.

This is a really great folk album. I'd put it up there with any of great female singer and songwriters. Not only are the vocals and music outstanding and the songwriting deep, but the production is really really amazing. Such a beautiful well done CD.Anybody who loves the great female songwriters like Joni Mitchell, Kate Wolf et al would love this album.

Heard this on NPR and it was so beautiful that I cried in the car. so stripped down and natural and genuine. buy this album. "No More Shelter" is my favorite track.

Joan Shelley has calmed me after stressful day at work, fights with my husband or just driving. She puts me in a good place. I listen to this cd several times a week. She has such a beautiful voice. :)

No filler here. These are all very well crafted songs, which are presented in two-guitar and voice format. Compelling words, and a beautiful voice. Nathan Salzburg's guitar work adds dimensional and sonic complexity without detracting from the simple strength of these compositions.

What a wonderful album. Joan Shelley has a beautiful voice and the Accoustic guitar is amazing. One of the best new records I've bought. Highly recommended.

Joan Shelley's voice and music soothes my soul. Over and Even is a beautiful, mellow album, playable any time of day or season. It has a timeless quality and I expect to enjoy it for years to come. A wonderful addition to our vinyl collection.

Lovely and poetic folk

The search for a new Joni Mitchell has been the sport of many music critics but often leads to decidedly disappointing outcomes. The reason for this this namecheck is that the Mitchell reference comes up regularly in relation to the music of Joan Shelley. The later hails from Louisville, Kentucky and it is true that there is something in the purity of her voice that compares to Canada's finest particularly her early work in albums like "Song To a Seagull". It is also true that equally discernable are Appalachian and Celtic folk traditions plus a sprinkling of Sandy Denny in Shelley's influences. Cook up a musical stew based on these ingredients and a fine dish will follow. ""Over and Even" turns out to be a delight. It's an album of wintry folk music sung by a singer whose voice is distinctive and whose songs are pitched perfectly.Opener "Brighter than the blues" is a great start. Her style is conversational and despite the sentiment that "The winter's calling loudly now/I believe it'll be here soon/And it won't be kind,/It'll rule me with shadows/Turning my gold to blue" the warmth of the song will keep the chill away. The duet with fellow musician Nathan Salsburg on "Stay on my Shore" is more Simon and Garfunkel than Welch and Rawlings but very well done, while the haunting title track sees Shelley's best vocal on the album. This and others like the shorter "Lure and Line" are timeless and could have happily sat on an album by a singer-writer produced in the 1960s. Further "No more shelter" owes a huge debt to the English folk tradition and hopefully it is only a matter of time before Shelley is seen performing in Cambridge or Hebden Bridge. The last two tracks "My only trouble" and "Subtle Love" gracefully conclude the album with further acoustic enchantment. "Over and Even" arrives as the autumnal leaves fall and the nights grow longer. It will perfectly soundtrack the seasonal mood, will delight those love a great voice and shows that Joan Shelley is a rare talent.

Simply love this album. Joan shelley has never put a foot wrong imho. From the masterful Ginko, to the present day her voice and lyrics are just perfection. I just wish the record companies would use good inner sleeves, these cheap abrasive paper sleeves wreck the lp before you can even play it.

A really good album, quite nice to relax to.

A beautiful record, wonderful songs, superbly recorded. I have a couple of mp3 players, one with a big hard drive where I put copies of each album I buy on, and one for driving and walking with a much smaller drive, where only the best songs end up, this album is so good I struggled to leave any of the tracks off. I ended up deleting a few old favorites. Now for a good long walk. Wonderful. A must buy!

ok

Great album.

Beautiful record.