Audio CD review:
Daniel Lanois - Shine

Daniel Lanois - Shine

Band: Daniel Lanois Title: Shine Rating: Release Date: 2003-05-05 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: I Love You 2: Falling At Your Feet 3: As Tears Roll By 4: Sometimes 5: Shine 6: Transmitter 7: San Juan 8: Matador 9: Space Kay 10: Slow Giving 11: Fire 12: Power Of One 13: JJ Leaves L.A.

Sublime When I purchased it several years ago, it was my first introduction to Lanois. My absolute favorite CD, bar none. I don't know that I fell in love with it right away - it has a distinct, sublime feel that takes a few listenings to get into (at least for me). Once you're in though, it gets better and better the more you listen to it. To the point of being an addiction for me. I listen to this CD just about every day, usually at night when I need Lanois' music the most to wrap up the day's struggles and emotions. This music is like no other. Lanois is on another level, I just wish he'd give us more stuff to enjoy. Half an album, really You usually tend to pay almost as much as for a full album, with fewer songs. I'm not a big fan of Extended Play (EP) albums. But unless every song is a winner, you can feel a little cheated. There are probably 5 or 6 very good songs on Shine. Then there are some spooky, lazy, moody instrumentals that would probably be more appropriately placed on Lanois' Belladonna instrumental album (which honestly I thought was a bust). A few of the songs are merely OK, and they sound underproduced, slightly unfinished. Highlights for me were the quiet Sometimes, Shine, and San Juan. Also worthwhile are the first three songs. As I implied, this set would make a good EP. The sound is what you'd expect from Lanois. It has a character similar to the quieter material on Dylan's Oh Mercy CD, which Lanois produced, without so much echo and distance. Lanois has a formula -- he has certain sonic preferences, and he doesn't change or mess with them much from record to record -- certainly not on his own record. There's nothing really bad here, only varying degrees of good. If you're not too demanding, this can be a pleasant listen, a nice way to unwind when that is the type of music you need. Still, I am not that happy with this set as a whole. I can only express enthusiasm for the individual songs I specified. Clearly, Lanois main talent is producing. . Full of life! Some of it seems a bit detached but at the same time is very intimate in emotion. The album builds from an experience of worship and a celebration of life and on and on through a great collection of songs all the while sounding like a 'live set'. With a voice like a strained but melodic whisper Daniel Lanois is easy on the ears. The steel guitar is very cool as it bends around the vocals on songs like 'Shine'. 'San Juan' is one of the best laid-back acoustic songs I've heard in a long time. 'Fire' is a great love song. 'Power of One' with the reggae beat is just fantastic. Buy the CD and see the show More accessible than his second, not as mellow as his first. Excellent third album. As for Lanois' live shows, they definitely "rock". Think "Brother L. A. " off of "The Beauty of Wynona". He does literally bang on his guitar, as a previous reviewer noted, but Lanois is not a "13-year-old" with only a few lessons under his belt, he is not "unpracticed". He has his own style of playing and I find it intriguing and enjoyable. A selfless musical confession that lifts your spirit As much as this album can stand by itself and make (as it has, so far) a great impression on those who are fortunate to listen to it, it also shows a lot more about Canadian-born Daniel Lanois, the man behind some of the world's most talented artists of the past two decades! This album shows without doubt how selfless he has been, pouring his musical spirit into the productions he's touched, rather than keeping to himself brilliant musical ideas or developments. This is a great man, more than "just" a great producer or a great musician. For example, he'd invite over Emmylou Harris or Bono for the two opening tracks (track 2, actually co-written by the leader of U2), and just show you where did their sound come from, where were the fantastic atmospheres that you discovered in their respective albums born. You don't come out feeling like he kept anything to himself, and a good proof of that is his very spaced discography with a minimal four solo albums in the course of his career, and another great one in collaboration with Brian Eno and Michael Brook. The songs speak for themselves. . . they jump subtly between ambient, acoustic rock and country/blues at times, with a voice whose timbre brings back memories of recent Eric Clapton. Without an obsession for virtuosity and with great attention to subtle details, each track comes out victorious as a great work of art, giving you more than just a comforting feeling when you're done listening to 'Shine' -you know you are in front of a great man. If you're unsure of it at this point, consider for a moment the liner note he signs in the album: "What a privilege to be able to make music. And what an honour to have it received and appreciated. Here is a small portion of what's cooking in the kitchen. I hope that some piece of it will elevate your spirit. May we all touch a heart somewhere, sometime. ". You can see a complete list of all Daniel Lanois discography, or go back to the Daniel Lanois tabs