Shelby Lynne: Suit Yourself : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Ex-Nashville singer Shelby Lynne attempted a breakthrough in 2001 with Love, Shelby, a trend-conscious, big-budget pop album that failed to snag a mass audience and frustrated her fans. By contrast, her latest release could be a home recording, but its uncluttered classicism couldn't be more current: Low-key country-soul delights like "I Cry Everyday" fall comfortably between Bright Eyes and Norah Jones without apparently trying. Former Wallflowers guitarist Michael Ward and Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench provide backdrop, and Lynne casually croons with familiar ache. More of a mood piece than a collection of commercial hooks, Suit Yourself peaks on its final three cuts: the quietly pleading "Sleep"; a hushed ode to a lover she likens to "Iced Tea"; and a long, languid stroll through Tony Joe White's "Rainy Night in Georgia."