Tears, Lies, and Alibis

iTunes Review

Shelby Lynne is a stubborn artist whose Tears, Lies, and Alibis is her first self-produced and self-released album. It’s a beautiful album of country music that features among the guests Muscle Shoals legends David Hood and Spooner Oldham. But no matter the backing — and there are some tasteful productions here — the emphasis is on that old fashioned twang that Lynne brings to everything she sings. Ballads such as “Like a Fool,” “Alibi” and “Something to Be Said” remind one of the smoky vibe of Tammy Wynette and Dusty Springfield (whom Lynne tributed on the album Just a Little Lovin’). Lynne is an emotive wonder, able to express her frustrations and dissatisfactions in a myriad of ways. “Rains Came” kicks it up with a full band of organ and electric guitars. “Why Didn’t You Call Me?” throws in a horn arrangement for an extra R&B touch. But it’s the doom-laden country ballad “Family Tree,” the heartbreaking classic-country feel of “Old #7,” and the empathy fueling “Loser Dreamer” that make Lynne an exemplary talent and one of the finest country singers and songwriters alive.