Shane Rennison will take you through the tiniest of details of human emotions in his debut album, Irrational—a sonic-sounding mix of indie pop-rock brilliance with acoustics and synth nostalgia that runs oh-so-deep. Comparisons go from Vampire Weekend to Passion Pit and even Harry Styles, but that is the richness of an album like this; it feels so invigoratingly new and yet so comfortably familiar from the moment the play button is hit.
On this resonating and seamless journey, one is drawn to every single track’s collaboration with the one that has just ended, making this a musically cohesive and very engaging listen. It’s like reading a good novel. Shane’s songwriting is fine-toothed, his harmonies elaborate, full of surprising instrumental flourishes that keep the listener on edge through the entire time.
This album opens with “All The Scars,” which plunges head-first into those dreamy, whirling 60s vibes. It’s a song that’s all our past hurts, old keys, and raw drums sewn into a nostalgia-tinged production aesthetic. It’s quite introspective, something that brings out his trait of developing tracks rich in both emotion and sound.
”Draggin” sounds more ominous in its groovy essence of pop/rock. Such shadowy and seductive musical background is coupled with the island-influenced beat. Shane’s luscious voice sits against the minor key and foundation of the instrumentation. In relation to the lyrics, it tells more about thinning the senses of social escapades. “Draggin'” is vivid with images regarding night-out adventures and casual connections made.
The final song tends to be a little like revisiting the other themes and stories of previous tracks, which “Where I’m At.” It is Shane’s message to the listener, his summation of what journey he’s just taken us on. Honesty and raw emotion sum up this track as being “Irrational,” leaving the listeners with closure and understanding. Shane’s emotional writing is the heart that beats through all the layers of sound in the album.
Julian Giaimo’s production has rendered this so, an overflow that moves from one track into another, a hissing steam that ultimately makes each song a distinct unit. Aspects of acoustic twinklings interlock with glittery synths, punchy drums, and joyful brass infusions that make a sonic soundscape that is lush.
“I’m so grateful I finally get to share this album. We’ve been working on it for about two years now, and it’s just so nice to put it out and move on creatively. I felt as though artists were getting away from full-length projects that flow from one song to another. It’s kind of a dated concept because, in the streaming era, you can start an album on any track you wish. So for this project, I wanted to create seamless transitions from one track to the next to create a really cohesive project that satisfied us as a whole”.
Shane burst onto the scene as a performer sharing covers before honing his talents into self-penned, honest-to-goodness tales of the heart and coming from the panoramic Catskills of Upstate New York. Authentic to the letter, the soulful energy pairs Shane Rennison with audiences far and wide.
“Irrational,” by Shane Rennison, is a work of brilliance and an album that serves up just the right serving of freshness with sound, sophisticated songwriting, and deep emotion. So whether you are a fan from the get-go or new to his music, Irrational is an album that deserves a place on your playlist.
You can find more of Shane Rennison at:
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You can listen to ‘Irrational’ below:
Karen Harding is a Melbourne, Australia based singer/songwriter, founder of Sounds On The Couch, and founder and operator of boutique music PR service for emerging and independent artists, Rise Indie.