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"Shelley Short achieves the neat trick of employing sparse instrumentation and often glacially paced tempos to create a vibe that's positively radiant. . ." -- No Depression
"Drowsy, intimate, beautiful alt-country from the Portland, Oregon singer-songwriter extraordinaire. Mazzy Star meets Emmylou Harris." -- GIANT
A native and current resident of Portland, Oregon, songwriter and singer Shelley Short grew up among characters and artists in a wood-heated home stocked with books, records, and well-cooked meals. As Short recounts:
“It was like growing up in a time machine; in some ways we lived like it was 1896, chopping wood, growing our own food, wearing eclectic clothes in a Victorian home and singing our own songs. Other times it seemed like we were living in 1955, driving around Cadillacs and Hudsons and listening to Jonny Ray, Lester Young and The Flamingos. And yet it all felt like growing up in a movie made in 1963, full of these big personalities. As a kid I grew up so accustomed to falling asleep to the sound of talk and laughter that when I moved out, the silence got to me.”
After three lovely years in Chicago, Short has hit the road of late, opening for likes of M. Ward and Loudon Wainright III (with Nate Query of The Decemberists on upright bass), as well as friends Whispertown 2000, Tom Brosseau, Alexis Gideon and Laura Gibson. While in Portland, she keeps busy singing on her friends' records. Recently, she has been invited to sing harmonies and choruses on records by Tom Brosseau, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Laura Gibson, Carcrashlander, Alexis Gideon and Norfolk and Western. She recently completed a tour in a trio with Tom Brosseau and Ethan Rose in support of Tom’s new record.
A Cave, A Canoo will mark Short’s third release on Hush Records. Captain Wild Horse (rides the heart of tomorrow) was released in Chicago in 2006, Water For The Day in 2008.
A Cave, A Canoo was produced by Short and Alexis Gideon and was recorded at Liophant Studios by Alexis Gideon; some finishing work was done by Adam Selzer at Type Foundry Studios. The album was written and recorded over the period of a year, and its depth of sound reflects the wealth of time spent in its making. There was little to no pressure -- be it financial or emotional -- in its composition, allowing Short to focus her attention on the detail and nuance in each song. As a whole, the record is crafted with an interwoven, almost circular, approach, allowing the songs to slowly stretch out and find their home. Some songs took weeks to mull over and define while others represent first takes, captured at two in the morning.
“I was able to assemble and record the songs like writing a short story on a chalk board with a big eraser in hand, or like making a collage without using glue until the very end."
While defined throughout by Short's warmth and clarity, A Cave, a Canoo is a collaborative affair. The album's diverse and imaginative musicians include longtime-friend Rachel Blumberg (The Decemberists, M Ward, Norfolk and Western), legendary upright bass player Glen Moore (Oregon, Nancy King), and electric guitar virtuoso Alexis Gideon (Princess, White Hinterland).
In creating its sound, A Cave, A Canoo was, in some ways, inspired by Melanie, Ron Davies, Jake Thackray, Kris Kristofferson, Nino Rota, and David Lynch.
A limited edition vinyl pressing of A Cave, A Canoo will be released by Anonmaous Records, an offshoot of the Portland record label, Mississippi Records. Each record will feature an original photograph taken by Shelley’s brother, Faulkner, on its cover, as well as a screen-printed backing.
US Booking: Mary Jones Management: mary@maryjonesmanagement.com
US Press: PitchperfectPR: jessica.linker@gmail.com
Europe Press: 5ive Roses Press: chimioromeo@gmail.com
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