Though much-beloved troubadour Shannon Lyon is well known in roots rock circles, here in his home and native land, relentless touring and a prodigious musical talent have also garnered him a sizeable following overseas. One such place is the Netherlands, where Lyon lived for a time and to which he returned to record his seventh studio album, Safe Inside.Recorded in a 16th century farmhouse in less than two weeks, Safe Inside is, nevertheless, an unhurried affair, wandering with ease between poignant country shuffles ("Backyard Song"), folk rock stompers ("Lonely Like That") and expertly crafted ballads ("Lies and Love"). Finely-hewn country rock also abounds here, particularly on standout tracks "I Believe in You" and "Sad Story Now" (which features a fiery, Neil Young-style solo during the song's up-tempo outro). All are carried along by Lyon's singular and expressive voice which, when coupled with his considerable lyrical skill, has the power to stop listeners dead in their proverbial tracks, as on the heartbreaking "Willing Lies." Lyon's trusty back-up band the World Record Players do not appear on Safe Inside, though able musical help is provided by producer BJ Baartmans among others, particularly on "Marie," the bittersweet autobiographical tale that opens the album. Safe Inside marks another triumph, then, in the career of one of this country's most underrated songwriters, and is a record which, hopefully, will herald the name of Shannon Lyon even farther and wider than before. (Busted Flat)
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