Crystal Shawanda – Sing Pretty Blues
New Sun Records
12 songs – 52 minutes
A member of the Ojibwe nation raised on the Wikwemikong reserve, which is situated on Manitoulin Island in Lake Huron, a few miles off the coast of northwest Ontario, Crystal Shawanda faced unbelievable odds at becoming a star in the blues world. But she’s a lioness who roars for attention with a voice that cuts through the wilderness like honey-coated glass. And she’ll definitely grab your attention with her latest release, which explores love, loss, grief, hope, resistance and healing.
Crystal’s a two-time winner of Canada’s Juno Award, the Great White North’s equivalent to the Grammy – the latest for blues album of the year in 2021 for best blues album and another in for Just Like You, which took home the Best Aboriginal prize in 2013. A music lover since birth, her parents filled the house with country music and an older brother filled her ears with the blues. An ardent student of what she heard, her education came through poring over liner notes and building an understanding of the music at its core.
Her first foray as a vocalist came as a country artist, and Shawanda struck gold from the jump. She signed with RCA Nashville, and “You Can’t Let Go” — a tune off her first album, Dawn of a New Day – climbed to the No. 16 spot on 2008 Billboard charts and was a chart-topper in Canada, too, a first-ever accomplishment for anyone in the country of full-Indigenous blood. The blues was never far from her mind though. She’s always weaved a little Etta James, Buddy Guy and other favorite into her live shows.
Shawanda launched her own label, New Sun, after leaving RCA in 2010, releasing another country disc and a holiday album. But since 2014, when she gave birth to the album The Whole World’s Got the Blues, she’s proven herself to be azure to the core with three prior albums to this opus.
Produced by Dewayne Strobel, who handles guitar duties and drops in on multiple instruments throughout, Sing Pretty Blues is dedicated to the memory of Crystal’s longtime friend and manager, Rob Pattee. The lineup includes Nioshi Jackson and Louis Winfield on drums, Johnathan Nixon, Dave Roe and Steve Forrest on bass and Peter Keys on Hammond B3 organ with Stephan Hanner on harp and Chris West on horns. Sarina Joi Crowe, Angela Hurt and Zhaawande Strobel provide backup vocals. And guest appearances include Steve Marriner on harmonica and Ping Rose and Austin Strobel on guitars.
A driving harp hook opens “Preachin’ Blues,” Crystal’s throaty, fully-powered declaration that she’s going to get some religion, join a church and become a woman of the cloth…because she won’t have to work. But after a guitar solo, she grabs her suitcase, says farewell while wishing parishioners well and heads off to her own, personal heaven to make a “happy home.”
“Stop Funkin’ Me Around” isn’t as forceful as the opener, but it’s just as driven as Crystal demands that her lover make a choice: either change his ways or his address. The mood softens dramatically for the the bittersweet ballad “Would You Know Love,” a song of regret that finds the man with another woman and Shawanda speculating whether or no he really understands romance because, with the singer, he had it “in the palm of your hand.”
The pace quickens and the regret continues for “(I Gave Up) Everything for You ’cept the Blues,” which is fueled by Hanner’s plaintive harp runs and Keys’ work on the 88s atop a funky, powerful beat. The mood finally brightens somewhat for the title number, “Sing Pretty Blues,” in which Crystal admits that her voice may be gritty…but no matter…her message DOES come through. And, man, she’s not kidding!
There’s nothing but sugar and light in the ballad “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely” as a heartbroken Shawanda wonders what if things had been different, wondering what she’s been doing wrong and what she’s got to do to change. The answer apparently comes in upbeat, unhurried “If That’s All It Takes.” She realizes she has to take it slow with her lover, play along with his games and let things flow naturally. It’s a small price to pay for happiness.
But it pays to be cautious because Crystal’s fearing the worst and “Waitin’ for My Lover to Call” next. “Changes” follows and bemoans the loss of a best female friend before “Honey Bee” — a plea for love, “Too Far to Turn Around” – the realization that there’s no going back from decisions” – and “Dirty” – a quiet acoustic number that promises to quit drinking, smoking and getting high when the time’s right – bring the disc to a close.
You might become exhausted after this roller coaster of emotion. But it’ll definitely be worth the trip.
