Jon Shain's latest solo album, Times Right Now, is his usual stew of country, blues, ragtime, and bluegrass. Shain continues to put out high quality tunes that are executed exceptionally and full of southern flair. There's no denying the technical skills of Jon Shain and his bandmates. They do a great job of expressing the subtle differences among the various styles. Their blues has a grit to it and their ragtimes display humor.
Where Times Right Now really impresses is on the slow, smokey blues track “Louise, Louise.” Where a lesser musician might get impatient and rush ahead or get lazy and lag behind, Shain's perfect timing is right on the front edge of the beat making the entire 5 minutes and 42 seconds tense and engaging.
Up until the last track, the entire album feels like it's being played with a sly grin; however, on “Yadkin River Blues” Shain opens up and plays the most emotionally heavy song on the album.
I would love to hear these songs live. The band seems a little reigned in on a couple of tracks and there's ample opportunity for some great solo sections. I feel like I may not be getting the full experience just from the recordings.
Of course, Shain's tour schedule doesn't bring him back to the Triangle until 2010, so until then we'll have to settle for listening to Times Right Now through our speakers.
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