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Steve Dan Mills -
Inside Out Lookin' In
By George Peden
 Steve
Dan Mills is an easy-to-read performer. His tunes spring from an
honest and openly shared heart. His sharpened take on life comes
from chiseled dues paid by fronting bands, moving to Nashville in
the early ‘70s where he pounded doors and burnt shoe leather
looking for a recording deal, finally to claiming a place on the
Kerrville Folk Festival stage. He’s a journeyman whose waiting in
the wings time has come.
Inside Out Lookin’
In is the second album from
this singer songwriter who’s written tunes for, among others, John
Michael Montgomery and Mel McDaniel. Mills also has the envied
distinction of a soundtrack cut on the Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster
flick, Maverick.
It’s been a stellar
apprenticeship.
With a strong vocal
presence, reflective and incisive tunes, and a band of session
notables, Mills impresses with his self-written 10 tracker. More an
album for refection than dancing, the former Milwaukee native
marries critical and honest observation to tunes that don’t jar
and grind, rather they’re tunes of a focused writer with a message
to share.
That message comes
partly revealed in the title track. “Inside Out...” an aptly
named cut dissects the growing pains of being a misunderstood;
it’s one of several tunes which call us to examine our often
uncharted lives. Other similar thoughts appear on “Don’t Lay Me
Down”, the tragedy of recognized addiction, “Where’s The Child
Tonight?” and the poignant “Where’s The Passion?”
This is a touchdown
album, well worth the extra few yards to your independent CD
retailer. It’s available on Millstream Records.
Official
Website
Shannon Mock - Self-Titled Debut CD
By Jim Weaver
 I
just love surfing MySpace and finding new talent, the amazing thing
is how many extremely talented people ARE out there, and how
relatively few of them will ever get any recognition at all. Well
it's time to correct that little injustice for another artist here
on CSO, this time it's Shannon Mock's turn to shine, and she does
that better than a brand new penny.
Unfortunately this lovely and talented
singer-songwriter doesn't have a website yet, or at least not one
that I can find, so getting more information about her is not the
easiest thing to do at this point. What you CAN do is listen to
three of the ten songs on her debut CD through her MySpace site and
see if you don't hear the success potential that I hear. She would
probably love it if you would buy a copy of that CD as well, and
there is a link to do just that.
What with Nashville being the funny town that it
can be, we have no way of knowing if this will be the first time
you'll hear the name Shannon Mock, or the last. Will she make it as
a singer or a songwriter, or not at all? I say she makes it and
makes it big if that's what she wants to do. Mock has the talent and
the looks, the rest is up to... us maybe?
Shannon was born in New Orleans, graduated from
LSU and now resides in Nashville, TN... right where she should be.
MySpace
Jenny Casey - It's About Damn Time
By Penny Rondinella
 Jenny grew up in Oklahoma, and music has been with her all
her life. She's not only a wife, a mom, but also a schoolteacher. I read she also plays a mean
piano with her toe!!!
I really appreciate a woman that can sing a great tune, especially one that is not only chasing her
dream but is also doing the thankless job of being a full time mom at the same time. That takes a
whole lot of courage in my book. A wife and mother of four who has great vocal range, not only
doing what she loves, but doing it well, I must commend her for that. This "song writing
junkie" as she calls herself wrote every track on her CD titled It's About Damn
Time. When I sat down to listen to it, I could pretty much picture every
situation she was talking about. She took every day ordinary situations and made them into songs.
She says that her best songs hit her while doing those everyday duties like, washing dishes or
sweeping the floor.
"My Turn", I believe, is one of her best on this album, from one mom to another, that one really hit
home. I like her way of speaking out for women doing the day to day chores of being a
mom and wife. In the song "He Ain't" it says, He ain't the greatest guy in the world but he ain't
the worst, makes me think life sure would be a whole heck of a lot different if he was the worst.
From the folksy tune of "Plans" to some real fun off the cuff songs with lots of humor in them,
Jenny's voice is not only unique, but she can also belt it out. I really like the sassy attitude
that comes out in her songs, I think that's why I could picture just about every situation while
listening to her CD. Website
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