Mem Shannon's Shanachie debut,
Spend Some Time with Me, finds the ex-cab driver bluesman stretching his sound to the limit. Whether adding country flourishes on "A Certain Shade of Blue" or crafting danceable social commentary with "Who Are They?" and "Dirty Dishes,"
Shannon finds new ways to define and transcend the blues. "Don't Talk About My Mama" is a response to all the "yo' mama" jokes, while "The Last Time I Was Here (Millennium Blues)" traces the African-American experience, from slavery to the present, through reincarnation. An ambitious, enjoyable album,
Spend Some Time with Me reveals growth and development in an already accomplished artist. ~ Heather Phares