Shannon Shea – “Card Castle”
Shannon Shea – “Card Castle” – Single Review
I tell ya folks…”Card Castle” might not be your typical debut tune or what you’d exactly consider to be part of the ol’ soundtrack of summer…but Shannon’s on solid enough ground for sure. In its own way, the timing of the release is as metaphorical as the song itself…sometimes life throws you a significant curve ball, and you just gotta go with it. In terms of the song, it’s about being in a destructive relationship that was difficult to get out of, and in terms of the release date here in the summer when everyone’s out there blasting their shiny new Pop tunes & whatnot…well…I suppose the point is that you kinda gotta navigate through life and take things as they come sometimes. Just because Shannon Shea hasn’t put out the happiest song you’re gonna hear this year doesn’t mean that anything should hold her back from putting it out there. We get enough sunshine naturally during the summer months anyhow, right?
She knows her sound already, and the kind of insightful songs she wants to emulate based on her own inspirations…artists like Joni Mitchell, John Denver, Joan Baez…you’ll hear many similarities between them and Shannon’s first single – and let’s be real here…their songs weren’t always the happiest either. The fact is, just because the sun is shining doesn’t mean it ain’t raining on the inside. Serious situations, turmoil, grief…these things don’t just wait for the weather to match. Sadness is for all seasons whether we like it or not, and in this particular instance, that plays to Shea’s benefit. In releasing “Card Castle” as a debut single, believe me, that’s just about the most declarative statement you can make in music – it’s the kind of song that’ll instantly reveal the high degree of emotion that Shannon wants to create in her songs, and confirms she has no problem using her poetry & thought-provoking words to create meaningful & moving material.
She’s got perspective, and perhaps more importantly, she’s willing to share what she’s learned through her real-life experiences. To be honest with ya, while there are challenges in getting a song like “Card Castle” out there to the masses, I also think that there’s a genuine fearlessness to an artist like Shannon who is unafraid to put this out there as our first impression. It’s the kind of song that confirms she has no qualms with writing from a very real, raw, and vulnerable state…and I think that people will certainly appreciate that about her. Life ain’t always the happiest place to live y’all…our music and art should have no issues in reflecting that. I applaud Shea’s courage in creating this song, and I think she’s made a wise choice in putting this out now without overthinking when the perfect time to a release a song like this would be. The reality is, there’s no time like the present, and there’s an audience out there online 365 days of the year. You might not hear “Card Castle” at the beach, but it will definitely get played.
Shannon’s also found some exceptional players to help bring this song to life as well. The bass from Martin Motnik for example, is perfection…to the point where there’s a good chance that’d even be my favorite element of this particular song. Shannon’s got a quality voice and knows how to use her words for sure…she’s an expressive singer, and the most experience she gains with recording her songs and whatnot, the stronger that aspect of what she does will grow. As it stands right now, the emotion in her voice is already an asset…I’m simply saying it’ll become even more of one as time goes on. Other than that, you’ve got reliable guitar work from co-composer Wes Lunsford, and steady drums from Francy Karema as well…everyone seems to be on the same page here and there’s nothing I’m hearing that’s significantly out of place. It’s all heckin’ sadder than sad for sure, but it’s well-played and performed. As for the hooks…I’m about as sure of those…they’re not really the main draw in a song like this if I’m being truthful with ya. A songwriter like Shannon is prioritizing the words and saying what she wants to say in the way she wants to say it more-so than any other element right now. Which is fine, it just doesn’t always directly equate to universal accessibility, or what’s undeniably memorable…I think those that like what they hear in “Card Castle” will have no hesitation in repeating the song and living through the pain & sadness on display again and again…but for those that aren’t as instantly onboard, you’ll probably find a song like this is much more dependent on the mood you’re in. Not everyone out there is ready to fit in a tune that has a “tapestry of sorrow” into their day, and that’s just a reality that Shannon’s facing. Not every song we’re ever gonna write in this lifetime is going to be suited for every single day. The flipside of that scenario however, is that listeners will know exactly when they want to seek a song like this out, whether it’s for their own comfort, catharsis, or enjoyment…and that’s actually a really good thing. I can think of my own catalog of songs, artists, and bands in my archives…believe me when I tell ya, I know exactly who and what to reach for when I’m in whatever kind of mood – and yes, there are plenty of sad times that truly require sad songs to help get us through them. Someone out there…very likely many someones…are going to hear a single like “Card Castle” and feel like it’s an echo of exactly what they’re going through in their own daily life – and like we’re always reminded by just about every artist & band under the sun, if your music can reach just ONE person to help them heal…well…that’s worth it, ain’t it?
I’d definitely be encouraged to continue forward from here though if this was my debut song, and I sincerely hope that Shannon is. From what I was reading about her being stuck in some kind of “self-imposed musical isolation,” and having almost lost her voice altogether, you have to acknowledge and recognize the strength it takes to push past the pain and sing about the tough stuff we go through. LIFE is as fragile as a “Card Castle” y’all…that’s the truth. But you also have to appreciate the fact that, if she’s here now to sing for you, that we can assume she’s actually come out safely, stronger on the other side of all that she’s been through, ready to embrace the courage required to share her thoughts and emotions openly with the whole world listening. She’s putting a lot of heart into the music she’s making here already in her debut, and if she continues to do that, in the end everything will work out just fine.
Find out more about Shannon Shea at her official pages below!
Main website: https://shannonsheamusic.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shannonsheamus1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannonsheamusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5Byb8yMMBLGZN8cIsSFQtM
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