Product Description

Strong vocals, consistently well-crafted lyrics, accomplished musicianship, and forceful melodies comprise this impressive debut by Shawn Colvin. From the highly original opening title track, which features some of Shawn's most silky, fluid vocals, the listener is taken through a collection of first-rate songs, each building on the emotion and musical powerof the last.
Highlights include "Diamond In The Rough", "Shotgun Down The Avalanche" and "Something To Believe In". The songs show off Shawn's diverse influences; they are equal parts folk, pop, country and rock. Using a strong backbeatand a heavy lyrical side, Colvin expresses both angst and affirmation as she explores the paradoxes of love and relationships.
This 1989 release won the "Best Folk Album" Grammy, but it is not a folk album in the traditional sense. In fact, it was one of the year's best rock albums. Shawn's breathy vocals and shimmering timbre, sharp rock arrangements, and perceptively astute lyrics bring this outstanding album to a high level of originality and quality. STEADY ON, Shawn Colvin forges ahead, breaking new musical ground.

Track Listing

1. Steady On
2. Diamonds In The Rough
3. Shotgun Down The Avalanche
4. Stranded Another Long One
5. Cry Like An Angel
6. Something To Believe In
7. Story
8. Ricochet In Time
9. Dead Of The Night

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #32503 in Music
• Released on: 2001-10-01
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

An auspicious debut
This is where it all began. An intense and confidential recording that conflated pop and folk without being too commercial or too navel-gazing. Marvellous songs such as Shotgun Down the Avalanche, the title track and Diamond in the Rough are so fully-formed that you would think that this was an artist in mid-career, not at the beginning. There is great confidence here, despite it being her debut album. The slickness and overproduction that has dogged her work since Steady On is comfortingly absent, as John Leventhal finds the best balance between clarity and cosiness. The melancholy nature of her songwriting is not oppressive on this album, as it is counteracted with a levity not only in the crisp production but also in her voice. Although there are great songs on the Fat City and A Few Small Repairs, this is the Colvin album I keep coming back to time and time again.

Shawn's debut (revised)
The first time I became aware of this singer song writer was at a Blue Nile concert (September 1990) she was the support act invited by the band themselves, this enough of a reason for me to check out her live set.
I am glad I did what a performer, singing all on her own on the big stage at "Edinburgh's Usher Hall" with just an acoustic guitar to back herself, very impressive indeed.

At the concert I picked up a leaflet (which I still have) telling background stuff about her such as Ms Colvin was born in "Vermillion" "South Dakota" and was a background singer on Suzanne Vega's European hit "Luka" and more importantly the leaflet gave me the title of her album so that at a later date I could buy it.
"Steady On" was the all-important title I was looking for.

The album was even better than her live show, with most of the songs being co-written by long-time guitarist "John Leventhal" he also had a hand in producing the bulk of this collection of songs.

The album opens with the title track, with it's programmed drums by John Leventhal which has one Dennis McDermott playing hi-hat to introduce the track along with Shawn playing acoustic guitar, the sound that makes this track stand out is Leventhal's Fender six string bass which along with his backing vocals add the perfect background for Ms Colvin to sing against opening line "China gets broken And it will never be the same" and the album is off and running.
For the next cut which is a pivotal song in her catalogue "Diamond in the rough" which is still a live favourite, Shawn has Suzanne Vega in the backing chorus Shawn has also used Lucy Kaplanski (who is a singer song writer in her own right) and herself overdubbed as the other backing singers, listen out for "I Go down" section in the right ear/speaker is Vega in the left ear/speaker is Kaplanski and the fade out line "snakes in the grass better step on the gas" is all of them
"Shotgun down the Avalanche" starts again with acoustic guitar and the sound of a shaker effect from the drum programming of the producer his mandolin playing in the middle 8 section is excellent and gives the vocals the right background "I'm riding Shotgun down the avalanche" is the last line sung which gives all the players a chance to shine as the track fades out.
The next track sounds like a song for a lost love the opening line is "Was it really two summers ago Or was it outer space" the emotion of the track is brought over to me by the use of Dobro and high strung guitar which is played by Hugh McCraken.
The song "Another long One" has a bit of fun about it for during the intro and the chorus "And it's gonna be another long one tonight It's just me and my well intentioned spite I said someone did this to me But no one did, there's no in justices I just can't afford to be right no more" Shawn has a percussion madman (that what the sleeve credit says) Michael Blair playing metal trays bells ceramic jars and other objects I can't quite work out, this percussive cacophony has played against it fiddle by Soozie Tyrell and Charles Curtis on Cello the use of this string section add a bit sanity to the song.
The following track for me is the standout track of the whole collection as it's the big love song "Cry Like an Angel" and has one of my favourite session players on it "Rick Marotta" who has played for Steely Dan, Peter Gabriel, Suzanne Vega, Ron Sexsmith and Robbie Robertson to name a few of his credits adds his signature drumming style to great effect which played along with T-Bone Walk on bass and accordion create the background for Shawn's singing which is given added drama with the use of hammond organ played by Bob Telson towards the end of the song.
The song "Something to Believe in" has something of a high point as Shawn duets with herself to great effect which Rick Marotta adding his superb drumming to which along with a Bruce Hornsby piano solo make this a high point in an album that is already full of them.
"The Story" is a song that finds the singer and producer playing and singing everything to create a song that has a wonderful sound that is both touching and heartfelt.
"Ricochet in Time" is a self-penned track that sounds little country in nature and finds Shawn telling a story about herself or is she?
Rick Marotta and T-Bone play a rock steady rhythm section for her to sing against.

The last track on the album Shawn singing puts shiver down my spine with the line "In the Dead of the night".
This album is really satisfying with it great production, well written and played songs an outstanding debut album real find in the world of music, a great addition to anyone's music collection...

Superb studio debut...
The first time I became aware of this singer song writer was at a "Blue Nile" concert (September 1990) she was the support act invited by the band themselves, this enough of a reason for me to check out her live set.
I am glad I did what a performer, singing all on her own on the big stage at "Edinburgh's" "Usher Hall" with just an acoustic guitar to back the songs, very impressive indeed.
At the concert I picked up a leaflet (which I still have)telling background stuff about her such as Ms Colvin was born in "Vermillion" "South Dakota" and was a background singer on "Suzanne Vega's" European hit "Luka" and more importantly the leaflet gave me the title of her album so that at a later date I could buy it.
"Steady On" was the all important name I was looking for.

The album was even better than her live show, with most of the songs being co-written by longtime guitarist "John Leventhal" he also had a hand in producing the bulk of this collection of songs.
To pay back the favour that "Suzanne Vega" had done her "Suzanne Vega" along with "Lucy Kaplanski" and "Shawn" herself act as backing singers on the pivotal song "Diamond in the Rough".The song "Something to Believe in" has something of a high point in it as it features a "Bruce Hornsby" piano solo.
This album is really satisfying with it great production, well written and played songs a real find in the world of music,a great addition to anyone's music collection...