There is something undeniably special about Shannen Moser and the music she makes. I gushed about her first album, you shouldn’t be doing that, the moment I’d listened all the way through it and constantly find myself returning to it. We shot this beautiful live session of her playing three songs in Clark Park on a crisp fall morning this past October where all the magic of watching her play live came shining brightly through. And now, she’s added a colorful new addition to her recorded music in the form of a little album called Oh, My Heart.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Eric Muth, the collection elevates her bedroom demos to lighthearted arrangements that provide the perfect cloud-like backdrop for Shannen’s yearning lilt. A series of gentle pleas and tales of love and loss on full emotional blast, Oh, My Heart is homemade solace that sometimes twinkles and sometimes sways. Both sincerity and vitality abound from Shannen’s short, acoustically driven songs in a way that feels uniquely familiar. Listening through the album as a whole is much like watching the pages of her diary spring from urgent scrawls and doodles to vivid images of people, nature, and an almost tangible love.
One of the album’s most magnetic features its constant jump from highs to lows and vice versa. In lyrics, in notes of melodies, and even in tone, that shifting helps the few heavy moments really sink in deep and the high points soar. Shannen makes a connection with the listener effortlessly from the start through relatable truths and subtle textures that sneak there way in at just the right times. Besides the small orchestra of instruments that have joined the mix since her last album, Muth’s instrumental support is one of my favorite additions of this album. His understanding of these tracks and their creator polished their understated beauty into something even grander.
As the subtle bounce of her acoustic guitar leans against the ping of a xylophone, distant whistles, and her sweeping harmony, a quiet enchantment flourishes that will keep you longing for more. Let Oh, My Heart take you on a heartwarming journey in search of personal growth with Shannen’s curling yowl as your guide. I’ve already listened to this charmer of an album an irresponsible amount of times and I’m sure I will listen to at least 50 more. Bask in the glow below.
Favorite Tracks: Alex (282), Grower, & Dirt and Water
