It's a rare talent indeed to be able to succeed as part of a band and simultaneously as a solo artist. Shana Cleveland, fresh from leading La Luz on a strong string of albums, is back with her own release that's the equal of her group's efforts. Manzanita, her new record, is out today on Hardly Art.
While La Luz sometimes favors a spry surf rock, Shana's solo material here in 2023 is more rustic, more languid. This is mood music that's far too precise to be called dream pop, though it most assuredly is dreamy. "Quiet Winter Sun", a highlight here, is as contemplative as the title suggests, part Simon & Garfunkel, part Nick Drake, while "Babe" has a bit more heft. This one, with flashes of piano and a nice subtle bass (from Abbey Blackwell of Alvvays), surges forward with a kind of coiled energy, enough so to suggest recent La Luz pieces, while "Evil Eye" trundles down a path that's a bit down-tempo and introspective.
For a record this personal, with material so precise, there's nothing on Manzanita that feels precious. Carefully arranged and considered, the songs here retain a loose grace that's disarming. Shana Cleveland is not only an amazing musician and composer, she's also an adept arranger, even for herself and her sublime voice. The settings here, even the ghostly balladry of "Mayonaise" and the swaying West Coast folk of "A Ghost", are as uniquely suited to her strengths as a vocalist as they are to her guitar and backing choices. The album creates its own genre, and one marvels at how something so seemingly simple can be so complex in musicianship and mood. A listener feels both contentment, sadness, and wonder, sometimes all at once, and Manzanita quietly surprises. Even those qiute familiar with Shana Cleveland's talents from La Luz with find this a record to treasure on its own unique terms.
Manzanita by Shana Cleveland is out today via Hardly Art.
[Photo: Kristin Cofer]