Shane Yellowbird – Life is Calling My Name
By: Amy Ross, CSO Staff Journalist

Hello country music fans. It’s so good to be back in the office, this holiday season buried me in so many ways I think Jim thought I was gone for good. I got an e-mail from him asking if I had any reviews done and I promised him I would get a few done today. Well I broke that promise. I put in Shane Yellowbirds album Life is Calling My Name and everything around me stopped in its tracks. I like to listen to these albums and while they are playing take note to what catches my attention on each song. That didn’t happen this time, I found myself sitting back and just enjoying the powerful vocals of this handsome young man.

Yellowbird starts you out in true country form with “They’re All About You,” which is all about new love and the importance of each other in that glorious process. Showing the beginning of a pattern you go straight into another love song. “What A Beautiful Concept” says it all, a story about loving the one you are with for who they are and not what you want them to be. Yellowbird sets this beautiful concept to music brilliantly.

The pattern is the same but the substance is a little different on the third cut, “Pickup Truck.” Oh it’s still a love song but this is a hilarious drinking song about cowboys; their unusual relationship with their pick up trucks and those cheesy pick up lines they “think” work on the pretty girls. I laugh each time I hear it, this song is so much fun and the charisma in Yellowbirds voice is infectious.

Back to the heart melting love songs. I got chills listening to Yellowbird sing “Get Away With You”. This is a song about disappearing for a spell, on a secluded retreat, with your one and only. Be it candle light at home, or a cabin get away beyond times reach, it’s who you are with that really matters.

“I Remember the Music” is a catchy tune about old’ times, broken hearts and singing along to your favorite songs. Now come on we can all put ourselves in that memory right? The emotion in Yellowbirds voice when he sings “Drive Me Home” made it all the more convincing that he is singing from his heart.

There are a lot of country songs about dedication but none quite like “Here”. Yellowbird sings, “Cause baby I’ve got everything I need here” and tells how fate brought him there. Every girl wants to be loved like that. “A Summer Day” and “Easy” are two more awesome additions to this ten-song album of love songs.

The title cut “Life is Calling My Name” is a one of a kind song, telling of someone who has come to that point in life when they realize what really matters. Yellowbird sings “A chance like this doesn’t come every day/ gotta take it now, can’t throw it away.” The tempo and strong heart pumping beat makes you want to go with him on his carefree journey.

Yellowbird makes you feel like you are in an old’ country hangout where you have your favorite comfortable spot and his amazing strong smooth rolling vocals will melt like butter. Definitely adding this one to my personal CD collection and I would strongly suggest you do the same.