With “Letting Go,” the sophomore release from Americana locals Shimmy & the Burns, the album finds the guys coming into their own more so now than ever before.
They are made up of front man Brian “Shimmy” Paddock, guitarist Wesley Harless, bassist Pat Beasley, and drummer, Gurnee Barrett. Together, the four of them combine to create an effortless synergy within the group.
The band introduces the album with the title track, a track that alludes to the all-encompassing powers of life and death. Shimmy sings, “Life is short, but damn, if it don’t feel long when every note sounds like a swan song.” The band imparts further advice with the subsequent track, “Jimmy,” noting, “Just ‘cause a man is loved don’t make him not alone.”
Shimmy’s songwriting skills are one of the most impressive aspects of the release. His lines are chock-full of insightful knowledge and words of wisdom for miles around. If you don’t finish this album feeling a touch wiser and more fulfilled, then take another listen – there’s much more to be experienced.
“Southern Summer” is a standout tune on the release both because of its more jangly nature and because the track makes use of backing vocals. While harmonies are used only lightly throughout the release, they serve their purpose well in “Southern Summer,” fleshing out the track and flawlessly complimenting Shimmy’s husky drawl.
There are the more upbeat, rowdier tunes like “Southern Summer,” “Moonshiner,” and “Wolves,” and then there are the more somber, laid back tracks such as “Fairy Tales,” “Classic Story,” and “Precious Time.”
There are countless quotes to be pulled from these songs. From the line “What good is being afraid when there’s nothing left to love,” in the chorus of “Wolves” to the track “Matchbook” with the opening line, “I stole this heart of gold beating in my chest. Lord knows my reckless soul couldn’t love you any less.” There is much to listen for in this album and even more to take away from it.
Shimmy writes solemn tunes with a purpose; he writes for himself, and he writes for anyone willing to listen. He takes his sorrows and joys, transcribing them into songs and lessons of the human condition that are refreshingly heartfelt, well-written, and easily relatable.
They could not have chosen a more perfect or more memorable close to the album. The band rounds out the release with the heavy hitting “Wolves” and then the solemn “Precious Time,” an ode to Shimmy’s mother. He concludes the album with one final, resonating line: “I leave you with this – one last simple line. There’s nothin’ on this earth more precious than time.”
With a coarse, rustic, Tom Waits-y growl to his voice, Shimmy grabs his listeners and locks them in for an entrancing, entirely rewarding 40 minutes of song. There seems to be one central moral to the album – to hold onto the things you love and let go of what you have to, all the while cherishing every single moment along the way.
Recorded locally at Shed 55 Studios, these 11 tracks of “Letting Go” merge to create a fully engrossing listening experience. These roots-rock guys are quickly making a name for themselves in the local music scene, with show dates scheduled both locally and regionally throughout the rest of the year. If you find yourself enjoying the album, you’ll be more than pleased by their live sets. Catch them at one of their upcoming shows and raise a glass to this beautiful mess we call life.
