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Waxed - Record Review from Issue #61 Jan-Feb 2006

Shelley Short

Captain Wild Horse (Rides The Heart Of Tomorrow) (Hush)

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The second solo album from Chicago singer-songwriter Shelley Short achieves the neat trick of employing sparse instrumentation and often glacially paced tempos to create a vibe that’s positively radiant. Blessed with a wispy voice that’s just this side of childlike, Short conveys a sort of loopy intimacy while steering clear of the cloying introspection that’s the bane of many of her folk-based peers. The material and arrangements lean toward prairie fare laced with generous splashes of Appalachia. Songs such as “Tomorrow Night” and “All Eyes On The Skyline” wrap languid melodies and gothic musings in a warm campfire glow. Sprightlier tunes such as “Lupine Manner” and “Goodbye Old Morning”, on the other hand, use similar instrumentation (cello, ukulele, acoustic guitar and upright bass) to craft something more akin to skewed nursery-rhymes or a country waltz. Combining touches of artiness with a back-porch approach, Captain Wild Horse comes off as a bigger album than perhaps even its maker intended.

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Originally Featured in Issue #61 Jan-Feb 2006

Cover of Issue #61 Jan-Feb 2006

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