John Shannon & Wings of Sound, "Songs of the Desert River"

Here's somebody with a second album and I haven't heard him until now. Pittsburgh-born folk-rock fellow John Shannon makes me glad I am hearing his second, Songs of the Desert River (Creek Valley). The emphasis is on SONGS. He writes well. They are happy-sad, sensitive soul searching sorts of things. He strums and picks his guitar in a decent way and sings nicely in an upper range voice. He's Jason Mraz with more feeling and brains. Nick Drake with a little less of a spaced-out view.

The arrangements are good, subtle. It's a very pleasing outing. This fellow made my wife take notice--and she's sort of my "people's barometer" for what a non-musician with good taste, a lyrical bent and decent ears might think. So there we are. I like him too.