SARAH SHANNON
(Casa) Rating: NNNN Rating: NNNN
There was never really any doubt that Velocity Girl singer Sarah Shannon would move on to bigger and better things once the fascination with peppy indie rock wore off for the college radio crowd, but taking a Dusty Springfield turn for her self-titled solo debut was unexpected. Shannon shows that she has the vocal chops to pull off the Bacharach/David-inspired material and throwback arrangements (circa 68) involving strings and flugelhorns. However, the star of the show is conceptualist Blake Wescott, who, besides producing the record and co-writing the songs, also plays guitar, bass and the tasteful Wurlitzer piano parts and sings backing vocals. Impressive.
