SHANNON HOPE- Shannon Hope EP
Sturm Und Drang Recordings

Shannon Hope is not to be confused with an Ice hockey player and a South African pianist of the same name. No, this Shannon Hope (as much as I loathe to say it) is an acoustic singer-songwriter from Bury St Edmunds. The reason I loathe to use the acoustic singer-songwriter tag is that it always sounds so much worse than the artist actually is. But Shannon plays an acoustic guitar, she sings and writes songs so that's what you're getting.

And, though also not being a Christian maternity home, Shannon's past is steeped in local music legend; particularly well-known for her days in Norwich's riot-punkers, Glory Glory, when they unceremoniously imploded in a 'hungover haze', she crossed the border back to Suffolk and started writing her own songs and thinking up an imaginative title for her first solo EP. Admittedly, she was more successful on the songwriting part than said naming, but it's very nice all the same. With a simple use of melody and a distinctive vocal as cool and British as they come, although I am sure this won't go down very well, she largely reminds me of Lisa Loeb or The Cranberries (neither of which are cool, though at least one of them is British). The reason that I am sure that won't go down very well is that Ms Hope counts Bjork and Cat Power amongst her heroes- slightly more impressive artists but influences that are not obvious here. Not that that's a problem- her style is just more indie-acoustic loveliness and no mistake, with an edgy romanticism of Billy Bragg and the catchy chorus to match. Which means Shannon Hope is an artist worth checking out for her honest, no frills talent.

Anna C

 

Released 18th March, 2013.

shannonhope.bandcamp.com