Matured: Ultimate female singer / songwriter

Shelby Lynne has a voice that has been described by many listeners as "erotic". But it is mainly a stylish and experienced musician who also plays guitar excellently beside their seemingly relaxed variable touching song and the songs are structured so clever and cunning that are hardly aware of a handset. It avoids every cliché in their compositions. And it keeps going deep into the Retrocase to create from the blackest soul, contemporary folk, guitar rock, country and good old-fashioned pop their own music. Influences of Sheryl Crow (though on their roots-rock Lynne far beyond) to Al Green (whose emotional singing style repeatedly flashes) are only influences when Lynne does their own thing here.

It begins unusual. A few easy chords struck by Lynne, an unsuccessful Bridge, short laugh and then the band starts again and rocking "Go With It" without mercy. And so it goes on without a break. Whether the classic ballad with a reputation for sleeping ("sleep"), whether the grim-folky "Johnny Met June" accompanied only with a few strums and then going off enormously. It is always so easy as humming in the morning in the bathroom, while there is hardly anywhere else so refined pop like "Iced Tea" - accompanied only with faint claps and little guitar sounds like the original version of "Yesterday". And the anthemic title "Where Am I Now" is not just a catchy tune, but also great songwriting and as touching as detailed musically clever.

Shelby Lynne made her first album at age 21. After some stylistic changes and errors it finds this completely self-produced album as shortly before the also successful album Identity Crisis (2003) 16 years later to its matching shape. Great art in the guise of a casual lounge album. Sometimes it takes just as long, so it is really good. This album is a timeless classic.