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SHAWN COLVIN
A Few Small Repairs

as reviewed by Jack Crompton at Amazon.com, May 2, 2008

An Enigmatic Masterpiece.

This was the major breakthrough album for alternative folk artist Shawn Colvin, whose talent had gone through a decade long proving ground with several excellent albums to her credit including the superb ‘Fat City’ and ‘Steady On’ among others. Earning the covet 1998 Grammy Awards for the year’s best song, ‘Sunny Came Home’ and best record, this is an album that clearly deserves those recognitions.

Colvin has culled a very distinctive personal style of music that has matured on this album in a very artistic expression. Fitting with the beautiful (and different) cover painting, these songs are not run of the mill by any estimate, but are indeed carefully crafted personal songs of a search for personal happiness in a world full of tough challenges. This set includes tales of tragic friendships, failed relationships, and the courage to face self honesty.

The hit single which opens this album clearly is a magical tune and it is easy to see it’s immense popularity... it’s got one of the most magnetic hooks I’ve heard in a long time, utilizing Shawn soft, transparent voice to rise an octave during the chorus which makes for a great sounding phrase. It leaves one aching to hear it agin. It’s a masterful track, not only in the writing (about a woman dealing with the aftermath of an abusive relationship), but also with the great arrangement which opens with these chiming guitars setting a very unique an anticipation for the basic verse lick which carries through verses. An absolutely great tune.

Other stand out tracks include ‘Get Out of My House’ – an angry stance of defining one’s personal boundaries, ‘Facts about Jimmy’ – an ode to a self destructive friend, ‘Me and Mona Lisa’, the angry ‘I Want It Back’ and the lovely ‘Wichita Skyline’.

All in all there is plenty of firery passion on display here from Colvin. She’s clearly written a catharthis for releasing a lot of pent up ‘stuff’ that leads to self healing. Nice it is that she can do so through such a powerful art form such as this.

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