The Del Shannon Tribute: Songwriter, Vol. 1

The popular myth is that it wasn’t until the British Invasion of 1964 that rock ’n’ roll music made it back to being the force it was during the early days of Elvis in 1956. The truth is that some artists bridged the gap; besides The Beach Boys, few that did as well as Del Shannon, the recipient of this diverse and unusual tribute. As its title makes clear, this album’s purpose is to illuminate the songs and the craft that Shannon brought to them. The artists included here take a number of routes to get inside the songs. Randy Bachman transforms Shannon’s huge 1961 hit “Runaway” into a slow, subliminal walk through time. The Pixies’ Frank Black slows the late-'60s obscurity “Sister Isabelle” until it’s a mystical tale with more than a hint of mystery. Marshall Crenshaw performs “The House Where Nobody Lives” as if he were The Beatles. Dave Smalley and Marti Jones turn their songs into country-infused music, with just as many heartaches. The Rubinoos’ performance is otherworldly. The beauty of these songs can't be denied.