Helen Shanahan

I did not know Helen before I heard her sing. Once I heard her sing, I couldn't un-hear it: she has SUCH talent, such a beautiful voice. I invited her to sing with me at a concert and once my crowd heard her voice, they were struck as I was. They went fricking WILD. Sincerely, Helen is a great person and has one of the most interesting, actually captivating vocal turns of phrase that I have ever heard in person.

- Clare Bowditch
ARIA Award winning artist/Singer Songwriter - Clare Bowditch

Driftwood is the debut album from singer/songwriter Helen Shanahan, and is the eagerly anticipated follow up to her Girl in Love EP, which firmly established her as a serious and soulful musician. Shanahan is based in Perth, Western Australia and has a sound which could easily capture hearts worldwide. Shanahan is a recent graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, with a major in voice.

On Driftwood, Shanahan writes about the joys and sorrows that come with the ups and downs of life, her words accompanied by rich layers of harmonies and acoustic instrumentation. The end result is an incredibly warm, contemporary album that certainly has commercial appeal, and would be very well suited for use in film and TV soundtracks.

There is an undeniable purity to Shanahan’s voice, and she performs with a great deal of conviction, without ever sounding contrived or forced. Her voice shows hints of fellow Aussie, Missy Higgins, at times, (which can probably be attributed largely to the slight Australian twang at the end of some of her phrasing) which is definitely a positive comparison. Stylistically, Shanahan’s music can most accurately be described as contemporary acoustic-based folk-pop. Charlie Young’s production on Driftwood is of an incredibly high quality, and while the instrumentation is sparse for the most part, it never fails to sound rich and always allows Shanhan’s crystal clear voice to shine, bathed in lush harmonies at all the right moments. The songs are well crafted, and could stand up just as strongly if they were performed with just a single vocal and guitar – they’re that good.

Shanahan has receiving some deserved industry praise and recognition in her native Australia; “Driftwood” was nominated the folk category in the Western Australian Music Industry ‘Song of the Year’ competition. “Driftwood” has also earned International acclaim as it won the International Song of the Year contest in the folk category - and listening to it, it’s easy to hear why.

Other standouts include opening track “Close to You,” “Lonely Room” (featuring cello from Elise Chong) and “He Says” (which was also nominated for in the WAMI Song of the Year Competition in 2010), however, all of the tracks are solid.

Shanahan ticks all the boxes; her writing is top notch, vocals are close to perfection, and she knows exactly who she is as an artist. The only question is…when can we hear more? Driftwood is the beginning of a great career from a supremely talented up and coming artist. Charming, authentic, introspective… the list of adjectives could go on. Don’t miss this one.


Artist: Helen Shanahan
Title: Driftwood
Review by Ross Barber
5 stars (out of 5) - Ross Barber

“First act up to the plate was Helen Shanahan.
Helen managed to grab my attention right off the bat with a strong, emotive voice that reminded me of one, Sara Barellis or Sarah Blasko. Her songs boasted catchy, smart vocal hooks with accessible yet very engaging melody. Her set was well constructed, starting off with radio friendly, enjoyable acoustic sonnets about the usual ‘one that got away’ plot device and later, delving into dynamically complex, lyrically deep ballads that proved quite captivating.
Helen surprised me for an early opening act, providing an engaging acoustic performance that kept me listening the very end and left me battling between a warm and fuzzy enlightenment and to a life shattering crossroads” -

Helen Shanahan – Driftwood (Independent)

A singer-songwriter in the classic tradition, Helen Shanahan has crafted an eight-song collection that’s incredibly easy on the ear, but the hooks are barbed and once they’ve attached themselves to their target, there’s no escape. In her native Australia the album’s title track has already picked up the Western Australian Music Industry Association’s ‘Song of the Year’ award in the ‘Folk’ category, which luckily coincided with the album’s release, and critical plaudits will naturally follow. We’re more than happy to join in.

“Close to You” is a pristine opening cut. Shanahan possesses a distinctive, adaptable voice, which is conspicuous in its ability to deliver a line full of depth and emotion, without resorting to multi-octave vocal gymnastics. It’s a compelling four-minutes and an impressive way to launch her debut long player (she released a six-track EP in 2009), but it’s matched by the stirring title track, and songs like “Play the Fool” and the remarkable “He Says” make for an incredibly consistent listening experience. “Driftwood” is an album of first class folk-pop songs, sung with genuine zeal. Miss it at your peril.

www.helenshanahan.com
www.facebook.com/Helen-Shanahan

Phil S. - Leicester Bangs Online Blog