After a number of critically acclaimed releases which earned him a fanbase in the US, UK and Canada, Ari Shine was ready to make his first truly definitive album. While sources like the Village Voice, Classic Rock UK, LA Times and even legendary Stones producer Andrew Loog Oldham praised his deft wordplay and way with a hook, Ari knew he was on the verge of something different. The 10 songs on ‘Ghost Town Directory’ cover a broad range of styles and feature a wide screen sound which give Shine’s already anthemic tunes a radio ready sheen. “I really feel like I got to sink my teeth into these tunes. The guitar tones are dirtier, there’s lots of slide and a punchy in- your-face kind of sound. I’m also more comfortable with these songs lyrically and where my voice is sitting in them.” Somewhere between the knowing nods to the past of an act like the Raconteurs and the heartfelt honesty of Tom Petty’s early records, Ghost Town Directory is Ari Shine’s most confident and nuanced work yet.
Look for the release of ‘Ghost Town Directory’ on Beverly Martel Spring 2011.
