Shake Russell ”WHAT THIS HEART HOLDS” ©2009 Shake Russell Deep In The West Productions Review by Lucky Boyd The opening cut sets the tone and right away you know this is going to be something different from Shake Russell. The opener is the title cut and it’s obvious that Russell has found a new sound complete with whistles. Yep. Not the Anita Ward kind, but the pretty kind, those that add an ethereal feel to the music. Russell’s new orchestration includes the core of Doug Floyd and Michael Roberts, rounding out the trio’s sophomore release and their first full-blown studio project together as the Shake Russell Band. Russell proves with the lead cut that he can break new ground with his writing. It’s not classic Shake Russell in style, but it has Russell’s trademark passion. On the second cut, “She’s Pretty Blue Today,” Russell teams up with our old friend Willie Atkinson for a song that will make you say, “that’s a Shake Russell song.” We’ve come to know and love his classic style and this song is wrapped in that comfortable package. Russell teams up with long-time writing partner Charles John Quarto on “Places In Texas” for a great Texas song, and you know how this reviewer loves a good Texas song. This two-stepper is destined to become one of the band’s most requested tunes. Sammy Cahn said he never titled a song until he had researched whether or not the title had ever been used before. He might not have approved of that aspect of “Ruby” but once heard, he would have forgotten every song every written about the girl with the classic name. This Michael Hearne co-write offers, “… tonight she’s far away and my heart calls out her name” and will chill the listener as Russell croons about being separated from true love. The band shows off their vocal prowess on “Luna Tara Tango,” the album’s co-write with Chuck Hamrick. Russell offers “Save It For Me” as another example of his new direction in writing. I hear Tish Hinojosa singing this song and it has ‘hit’ written all over it. Next comes “Vanished” which is arguably the album’s best cut, and it’s saddest. Russell pours himself into this song like no other on the record. It’s as if he’s lived it, and if so, your heart breaks for him. Musically, the song is perfect and the performance is stellar. “Dream Big” is co-written with fellow MTM member Danny Everitt and is an upbeat rock-influenced track. You can always count on Shake for a well-placed “yeah” to add exactly what a song needs exactly when it’s needed. The song is another showcase of the band’s vocal work. “Anam Cara” takes us to Isla Verde with Russell’s celtic-influenced offering, a co-write with the album’s producer John Inmon that is, as the song offers, “an old connection that comes to life.” “Edge of a Dream,” the co-write with Toni Becker is full of imagery and life, “whispering songs from the edge of a dream.” The disc includes two more co-writes with fellow MTM member Michael Hearne and a co-write with fellow MTM member Susie Warley. This baker’s dozen is laden with flawless performers from Russell’s Texas circle and from his new friends in PA. Together, they have taken Russell’s warm, familiar essence and wrapped it in a disc that is long overdue from this Texas legend. This is the new Shake Russell, not the same as before, but equally as comfortable. Imagine your favorite pair of shoes, the ones who have been so good to you for years; and now imagine you just remembered that you bought two pair at the beginning. You can begin your years of comfort all over again. This is the new quintessential Shake Russell. While there has never been a bad disc or even so much as a mediocre release from this musical and lyrical genius, I’m going to have to step out on a limb here. This is easily Russell’s best release since “Love’s Brightest Campaign” more than a decade ago and quite possibly his best release in thirty years. You’ll slip into this disc emotionally and it will become your favorite. It is filled with new classics and new sounds that make this the album you will talk about for years. If you buy only one copy of this album, you’re crazy. Buy a dozen and give them away. But if you buy only one album this year, here’s your purchase. Well done, my friend. Well done. Shake Russell Band ”LIVE AT GRUENE HALL” DVD/CD ©2007 Troubadour Review by Lucky Boyd “No extra horns, no dancing bears.” If that could sum it up, then Shake Russell’s own words would suffice, but this self-inscribed summation scratches only the surface of how different this project is from previous releases. A two-disc set, one is the CD, and the other is a DVD shadowing the title list of the CD but with candid interjections from Shake Russell and his band mates, Doug Floyd and Mike Roberts. The DVD opens with dialogue from Russell explaining the project and preparing the viewer for the amazing things to come. Russell adds stories to the beginning of a few of the cuts offering insight into the creation and inspiration of the upcoming selection. When the show begins, it’s typical Gruene Hall, and you can almost feel the heat. Russell and the boys start right in on a fan favorite, “Hank Williams Moon.” I guess I would have liked the stage lighting at Gruene Hall’s bar stage to be a little better, but you can only expect so much in a dance hall that’s been standing for over 130 years. All the spirits converge, however, and Shake Russell’s performance is nothing short of stellar as he offers sound nouveau in a trio as adept and Texan as they come. Russell’s classic guitar sound coupled with acoustic bass and Floyd’s mandolin offer the perfect accompaniment for the smooth velvet vocals made famous over the past thirty years. The Shake Russell Band is the current incarnation of the Shake Russell experience, offering a traditional sound with innovative arrangements and fills. Russell has even begun to sing many of his songs just a little differently than the way they were recorded years ago. This artistic interpretation of his own works offers fans a true glimpse at how Russell sees his own music. Alas, comfort meets style and grace, and Shake Russell has elevated himself with this project to a new level. Fans who have followed Russell for decades have been satisfied settling only for new material for a while now, but Russell offers them something more precious. Shake Russell has re-invented himself from within. As someone who has watched Shake Russell perform for a long time, I can tell you there’s an amazing difference within him. Russell has come through dark periods in his life with modest rebounds, but never anything like this. Finally, Shake Russell is at peace with his musical soul and it shows in every note. There are no struggles or tentative engagements in his performance, and he all but channels John Vandiver when singing “Comin’ Home.” The videography is as good as it gets inside Gruene Hall, but Orris Brown of LIVE FROM TEXAS captures the Shake Russell Band in a manner that will stand as an archive for all time. Who knows where technology and the delivery of musical performances will take us in the future, but know this: Shake Russell’s “LIVE AT GRUENE HALL” has historical significance, and will certainly be used hundreds of years from now to teach mankind of the talent that is today, the attitude that is Texas, and the genius that is Shake Russell. I hate to put it this way, but if you don’t buy this DVD, you’re just plain stupid. Previous Notes: If you’re a true Texan, then Shake Russell’s music has touched your life in some way. If you’re not, it happened without your knowing it. Seventeen million copies of this Texan’s songs have been bought while being recorded by the likes of Clint Black, Ricky Skaggs, Waylon Jennings, and others. Now you can round out your Shake Russell CD collection as we offer twelve titles, more than anyone else. First, the classic "Deep In The West," which includes the hit “You’ve Got A Lover” recorded at KLOL-FM in Houston, and “Travelin’ Texas,” the theme song heard on Houston NBC affiliate KPRC’s long-running Eyes Of Texas television program. Also, pick up "Let Love Be True," which shines with the flawless “Wild Blue Flowers of Texas”, features the crowd favorite “New Boots”, and every songwriter’s anthem, “Dare Of An Angel.” You can also get "Dreaming The Mystery," featuring “Our Kind Of Love,” written with and also recorded by Russell’s long-time friend Clint Black. Teaming up again with Charles John Quarto, and containing songs co-written with Chuck Hamrick, Brian Hamrick, Willie Atkinson, Clint Black, Mike Hearne, and Jimmy Stadler, "Dreaming The Mystery" is Shake Russell’s most artistic release to date. While knowing the music of Shake Russell before listening to this disc makes it more enjoyable, it still makes a fine introduction to his music in case you’re new to this planet. Yes, we have the acclaimed "Love’s Bright Campaign" recorded with Dana Cooper. It includes the tribute to Townes Van Zandt, “Bony Man.” Now we have the hard-to-find cassette, "The Thrill Of Love," featuring Shake Russell, Jack Saunders, and Dana Cooper. Round out your collection by getting the titles that Shake recorded with Jack Saunders or pick up all the titles.
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