Freddie On

Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10

Shawn Colvin is a female.

(That statement isn't totally relevant to anything ... but Shawn is a guy's name ... and this female cannot be mistaken for a guy. She's a hottie. You probably gathered that from looking at the main page! She's older than my mother ... but still!!! Total, 100 percent Irish cuteness! ... Ohhhh, *having impure thoughts*)

Shawn Colvin is also wonderfully talented! She is a singer-songwriter for a start. She's like Joni Mitchell, except she arrived on the scene in 1989 ... about when all these other female singer-songwriters such as Tori Amos and Sarah McLachlan were also trying to emerge on the scene themselves (all of whom for whatever reason insist on writing adult-contemporary tunes, but with taste).

And Colvin seems to be as talented as any of 'em are. Every once in awhile, she'll hit upon a good hook or a soaring melody, that it'll just take you along with it as it soaaaarsssss. Some of these songs are really very very good! The best of them being, of course, "Shotgun Down the Avalanche," which basically defines beauty in music.

The production of these songs is clearly dated (and suggests that Colvin wanted the payola). Nevertheless, she does appear to be a member of that rare breed of singer-songwriter who actually sounds likes he believes in what she's singing. Such a quality not only makes an album seem genuine but priceless.

Steady On has its slow spots, but when it scores, it sure does score! (And I scored some crack the other day!)

Overall Album Score: 8.5 out of 10 (A good album. If you're into the Sarah McLachlan/Tori Amos type stuff, then step on board for some Shawn Colvin.)

Average Song Score: 8.6 (There are two VERY PRETTY AND UTTERLY SPELLBINDING songs on here! The rest are just mildly pleasant.)

Album Tilt: 8.5 (Pleasant is good.)

Artist Rating: 8.5 (I like Shawn Colvin. She not only writes her own songs, but she's got a pretty voice, she sounds sincere, and she can be a real siren when she wants to be.)

Track Reviews

Steady On 9/10

Oh, hello! Steady ON, MANNNNNN!!!!!! Yes, we're definitely in the late 80s here with this adult contemporary song ... but with a distinct artistic edge that keeps me from dismissing it. Maybe this artistic edge is that "new-folk" thing that I keep hearing about. ... This is still adult contemporary! Don't make any mistake about it! ... It's still a good song, though. I like the melody (especially the inspired chorus) and the mellow atmosphere. ... Mellooooowwwwwww.

Diamond in the Rough 8.5/10

Okay ... this song does have a folky feel to it (including a little bit of hoe-down-style chanting). But ... it's got a stronger adult-contemporary feel, dang it! New folk SUCKS! And so does Suzanne Vega!! ... But this song is all right. It's no zinger, but it sounds thoughtful, it's well sung, and melodic.

Shotgun Down the Avalanche 10/10

Now, this is a pretty song. A very pretty song. And Shawn Colvin, although she has a guy's name, is a very pretty lady. She's 19 days older than my mother, so there you go. I was screwed on the get-go. This is certainly a folky-sounding song (with, you can guess it, an adult-contemporary mindset). The tune, however, is verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry pretty, and I really like the atmosphere. Yeah, it sounds dated, but pretty much everything sounded dated in 1989. (Why is that? Bob Dylan's Oh Mercy the Rolling Stones Steel Wheels, etc. all had their so-called tasteful pretenses, but they sound soooooo 1989.) But I ramble-rouse. This is a pretty song, dated or not.

Stranded 8/10

...IS A DANG GOOD ROXY MUSIC ALBUM!!!! ... But we're talking about the song by Shawn Colvin. Who is not a guy. Who is very pretty. Who is 19 days older than my mother. (Why did she start so late? If she's 19 days older than my mother, she totally could have started in 1977 and have totally forgotten to give birth to me in 1982. Why wait until my sexual awakening?) ... Ohhhhh ... The album ... right ... "Stranded" is a sloowwww song. Slow songs tend to have to be great in order for me to like them. That's the way it is with every song without a beat you can dance to. While this song certainly sounds thoughtful and sincere (and don't think I don't appreciate it for that), it's really kinda drab. It's too tasteful and sincere, however, to deserve anything less than an 8.

Another Long One 7.5/10

HO HUMMITY! ... It's going to be aaaanottttttherrrrrrrr loooooooonggggggg one! WHOOP. DEE. DOO. ... Eh. This is another pretty-good-but-not-great song. The chorus sounds pretty good at times. That's just about it.

Cry Like an Angel 8/10

Hey! This is a pretty nicely-put adult-contemporary thing that's ... uh ... nicely-put. Nothing else. Way to goooo, Shawwwwwnnn Coooolllllvvvvvvinnnnnnnn who is 19 days OLDER than my mother. ... Not that my mother looks particularly old. Shawn Colvin is a lot hotter than my mother ... heck, if Shawn Colvin was my mother, I might actually be a desirable male. ... But if I wasn't a desirable male, I wouldn't spend my free time AT NIGHT cooped up in this room of mine typing reviews of someone's album that few people ever probably listened to. She's got a nice voice, too. I don't know if I mention that enough.

Something to Believe In 9.5/10

You know, I really do enjoy listening to this album. It is pleasant! I enjoy listening to pleasant albums, because that makes me feel pleasant. Don't let that rant in the previous track review fool you. I feel very pleased right now. Especially hearing this unabashedly wonderful track with a melody that soars LIKE THE MIGHTY EAGLE, SWOOPING MAJESTICALLY 'ROUND THE OTHERPARTS OF THE WOODS IN A NATIONAL PARK ON A PIECE OF AMERICAN CURRENCY!!!!! ... oh yes. That's how this song makes me feel. (I really really love the chorus and there were some really nice instrumental touches on here ... yeah, this continues to sound like regular old adult contemporary, but this is the good stuffffff!)

The Story 8.5/10

But your story back in the book, babes. If you can't tell it as prettily as you did in "Something to Believe In," I can't be all that impressed. Yet, I remain pleased ... in a milder way. ... Kinda boring, but this doesn't sound cheap (and one section of this isss just PRETTY). I've got to admire Colvin for that.

Ricochet in Time 8.5/10

This song seems underwhelmed, but there are a few very captivating hooks in here. I can't give it a very high score, but I can give it the respectable 8.5 just because those hooooks! They are few and are repeated a lot, but they sure make a presence!

Dead of the Night 8/10

This song has the exact same problem that the last one did. It's an underwhelmed thing that is highlighted by a few really pretty hooks. The general feel of the song might be nice, pleasant and mellow, but without the presence of REAL BEAUTY THROUGHOUT THE SONG, all I can do is feel mildly pleased.

Steady on with thy comments here!