Shake It Loose Today
Sing Out Proud, 2022
9/10
Listen to Shake It Loose Today
The New York singer-songwriter Linda Sussman returns with her 4th album in 5 years, where an all star cast of supporting musicians help her flesh out rootsy, bluesy and folk friendly songs that are honest, wise and reflective.
“Chain Of Hope” gets the listen off to a warm, graceful start, where Mike Nugent’s spirited electric guitar complements Sussman’s expressive pipes, and the title track follows with cozy acoustic strumming from Sussman, as a more rugged quality unfolds thanks to Shawn Murray’s thumping drums.
In the middle, “Honey We Gonna Fly” recruits some soulful qualities amid the rhythmic textures that benefit from Kevin Kelly’s bass, while “The Light Moves In” lands in dreamy, folk territory, where a stirring eloquence helps make this the album’s best.
“A Better Scene” and “Dream Big” exit the listen, where the former is a guitar duo that’s intimate but not without grit, and the latter is a cautiously textured finish that’s as meticulous as it is memorable.
It’s not surprising that this album hit #1 on the RMR's weekly Top Alternative Folk Album Chart, as Sussman’s hybrid of roots, folks, blues and swing is never short on grooves, melody and forthright lyricism.
Travels well with: Ashley Heath- Something To Believe; Angela Strehli- Ace Of Blues