Shawn Mullins, "9th Ward Pickin' Parlor" (Vanguard, 2006)

The folks at Vanguard Records seems to be excited about the venerable label's first release by singer/songwriter/guitarist Shawn Mullins. And a listen to "9th Ward Pickin' Parlor" gives good reasons why.

The album showcases Mullins' ability to draw on his roots in folk and country while integrating other musical influences. The result is a stylistic mixture, from the laid-back opener "Blue As You" to the anthemic "Faith" to the stark, unadorned "Kelly's Song" - all pulled together by Mullins' consistently strong arrangements, not to mention his vocal abilities.

For fans of the "newgrass" group Nickel Creek, mandolinst Chris Thile plays on a cut, "Homemade Wine," a very atmospheric, minor-key piece serving as an appropriate vehicle for lyrics like: "And she might think that I'm coming back to hold her close and stop her cryin'/But this freight train's traveling down a southbound track full of broken dreams and homemade wine."

"Beautiful Wreck," the album's single, is co-written with Toad the Wet Sprocket alumnus Glen Phillips, who's carved out a well-regarded solo career. The country-flavored tune includes a chorus with which many listeners can identify: "At the dark end of the bar, what a beautiful wreck you are."

One of my favorite songs on the album is "Cold Black Heart," which combines the traditional "Shady Grove" theme (musically and lyrically) with a driving percussive beat, producing sort of a world-music version of folk - especially with Mullins playing the charango, a 10-stringed Bolivian instrument I've never heard of before. Also featured on the song is Shawn's primary collaborator on the album, Mike West, on banjo.

West had played on a previous Mullins release, "Soul's Core," and this time around Shawn decided to record at Mike's studio: the 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor, in the heart of New Orleans.

"The Pickin' Parlor stood about one block from the Industrial Canal in a 100-year-old shotgun house," Mullins says in his press release accompanying the new disc. "I tracked about half the album there, mostly the acoustic cuts. And like the rest of the record, I aimed for that 'old school' vibe. No loops or samples, live instruments only. If a note isn't perfect but the overall performance is there, that's what we kept."

Midway through work on the album, Hurricane Katrina put an end to the 9th Ward Pickin' Parlor, while West was on the road with his band, Truckstop Honeymoon. The studio since has relocated to the higher elevation of Lawrence, Kan.

Along with his solo work, Mullins has collaborated with Matthew Sweet and Peter Droge (who co-wrote "Blue As You" with him) in a project called the Thorns, which released an album on Columbia, "The Sunset Sessions."


Enthusiasts of acoustic music will enjoy Shawn Mullins' latest offering, which is in keeping with Vanguard's tradition of exploring the rootsier side of the American soundscape.