While this album is not new, it’s the last of my Favorite Albums of 2011 to be covered.
You’ve heard Shane’s work on here — he’s the bassist for Two Cow Garage. I’ve always found that Shane’s Two Cow songs serve as a potent counterbalance to Micah’s anthems of agonizing self-doubt. That’s not a diss to Micah — the two ultimately create something powerful and empowering that could not exist without the combination of the pair’s outlook on life. On Two Cow’s albums, Shane’s songs tend to reflect a survivor mentality: though there have been tough times, he’s seen them through, and he will continue to thrive.
The first word that comes to mind about this album — which is, to my knowledge, Shane’s only full-length — intimate. Though I haven’t met him, I get a very clear sense of who Shane is as a person. These songs cover the range of subjects that touches all of us at our core: religion, politics, family (in Shane’s case, fatherhood), and love. The spare production values make it seem as if Shane is laying his hand on my shoulder and telling me things will be alright.
My favorite tracks here are “Yeah, Tonight” (the track that convinced me to buy the album) and “Promised Land Blues,” a Dylanesque meditation on Christianity and capitalism. “Legion” and “Legion Reprise” are reminders of the galvanizing power of folk music. In fact, the only song on this album that I don’t adore is “Motel Blues,” a Loudon Wainright III song. I’m not familiar with the original, but I dunno — I just don’t think it’s right for Shane’s voice.
After you stream the album below, head on over to Last Chance Records to buy it for your bad self.
Buy The Finding Time in any format you could possibly desire.
Shane Sweeney — Facebook