Shelby Neubauer EXP EP Review
As the resident new music aficionado of Belles and Gals I am always on the look out for new music to fulfill my ever changing need to listen to as much music as possible. Ahead of its release last Tuesday (9th October) I was made aware of the great new EP from Texan Shelby Neubauer. Based in Nashville Shelby has created an eclectic collection of 6 great tracks creating a modern blend of country which is a delight to the ears of even the most dedicated traditional country extraordinaire.
The six track EP kicks off with a bang, almost literally, with the track titled ‘Explosion’. A mid-tempo, modern country sound, the track immediately draws you into the EP. Shelby’s voice a delight to behold coupled by an incredibly well produced track by Daniel Dennis. The brilliant track is lead beautifully by the cleverly written lyrics which even after listening to all 6 tracks on the EP, remains ingrained within my head.
‘Nostalgia’ continues to lead the story of the EP as track 2. A soft, light tempo track which pairs beautifully with Shelby’s soft toned vocals. Her vocal greatness is not her only talent, as a knack for intelligently written and well-defined storytelling is incredibly evident throughout all the tracks on the EP. ‘Hurt So Bad’ has a tone which immediately lead to me to imagine the track being performed by Kelsea Ballerini. A guitar led melody, coupled with a chorus to make even the strongest of pop songs weak the knees it’ll be a great addition to any playlist.
‘Bridges’ leads the second half of the EP. An almost acoustic tone, coupled with soft vocals, a story of burning bridges with lyrics such as “Why should I even try, if it is hello and then goodbye?” it has the makings of a great country song. ‘Someone Like You’ is the penultimate track and is the perfect tale of love with a traditional country sound and a sprinkle of a modern twist, it is my favourite track on the EP.
The final track ‘Numb’ ends the EP on a high note with a great vocal display and an interesting blend of traditional sound with a perfect sprinkling of modern influence. With a great display of vocal talent, a passion and talent for storytelling through songwriting, and an incredibly well produced set of tracks I recommend the EP highly. Every track would make a brilliant addition to any playlist.
This article was written by Liam Lewis (twitter.com/liam0324)
