Flashback CD Review #47 - Shane Hines & The Trance - Zoe

This review was originally written for the Rock Is Life.com website back in 2005. (2011 Update: Though billed as Shane Hines & The Trance originally, trying to find the album art on Amazon.com I found that it is now billed just as Shane Hines.)

Shane Hines & The Trance

Zoe

Screaming Goddess Records - 2005

http://www.shanehines.com

What's The 4-1-1?

The 11-track follow up to the singer's 2004 release Sweet Soul Suicide finds Shane Hines incorporating blues and Americana influences into his already established melodic pop rock sound.

Genre

Rock / Pop Rock / Singer-Songwriter

The Good

I enjoyed a few of the songs here. They ranged from the uptempo opening number "Joy Said" and the slower "Let Go". Shane Hines wrote all the material on the disc and besides providing the vocal work, he also provided electric and acoustic guitar work and hey, even some of the keyboards. He's an all-around threat and he does write some pretty decent lyrics. "Thoughts I Own" is the best song on the album. It has this really great acoustic guitar line in the song that really serves the vocal work well.

The Bad

I didn't care for a lot of the material. I found it rather weak and there were spots where I questioned the vocal delivery. Two songs: "On and On" and "A Little Light" are relatively decent songs ruined by atrocious choruses with vocals that are just too high.

The Verdict

It's not a BAD album, but other than the three songs I mentioned above in the Good section, I just don't think there is very much that is particularly noteworthy. I think Shane Hines can be a good lyricist, but there is definitely room for improvement. I found it to be a rather average album at best.

Did You Know?

Shane Hines lists The Beatles as his desert island band. Among his other influences are Albert, Freddie and B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Jimi Hendrix. The band has shared performance stages with Tonic and Cake.

Rating: 2 out 5