Shawn Colvin is one of contemporary folk music's finest live performaers. She doesn't dance about or shred on her instrument. Instead, she stands (or sits) still, calmly delving into the deepest - and frequently darkest - reaches of her psyche. With little or no physical affect she delivers pure emotion. When she addresses the audience, it's with wry wit and charming stories. All these things are captured on her latest live album, titled appropriately Live.
The Very Best of Shawn Colvin
Colvin's records don't veer too far from the way she interprets her songs live. It's part of her incredible appeal that her studio efforts are stark and honest, piling on few layers she's incapable of stacking on her own. Sonically, there's not much new going on here. Live simply sees Colvin delivering some of her finest songs with the same earnestness with which she delivered them in the studio. Aside from her well-chosen covers (Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" is always a crowd-pleaser), the arrangements don't seem to have changed much. At first listen, tunes like "Tennessee" and "Fill Me Up" are easy and familiar.New Life in Old Songs
Shawn Colvin
photo: Peter Kramer/Getty Images
Age and experience delivers "Shotgun Down the Avalanche" (purchase/download) with a tinge of knowing irony. Whatever that avalanche was in 1989 when Colvin released Steady On, it's two decades behind her. Originally delivered through an impressive tension, her rendition of it on Live is more free-falling, equal parts nostalgia and transcendence.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that Shawn Colvin is a great performer who writes stirring songs with haunting melodies that drive at life's darker, more difficult emotions. Whether you're just becoming acquainted with her catalog or are a long-time fan seeking to dive deeper into Colvin's best work, this collection of songs is a terrific addition to any collection.
