A few nights ago, Carcrashlander’s Cory Gray told me Shelley Short (who sometimes contributes to Carcrashlander recordings) possesses his “favorite girl voice ever.” And it’s not hard to see why: Short’s lofty, slightly twangy croon embodies a whole lot of subtle, curious nuances while maintaining a delicacy that fits her off-kilter country arrangments perfectly.
For one, she’s able to come across cute and wise all at once, which is no easy feat. On “How Grand,” she employs coos that might seem campy or twee in another songwriter’s hands, but Short comes across more like a gentle owl offering tidbits of worldly insight from high atop a gnarled, windswept tree. And her knack for counterintuitive melodies and tricky vocal runs is in full effect on this particular track—her deliberate, take-a-ride-down-the-slide “lahs” at the end of each verse displaying an artist in total control.
Short’s also got a smirking sense of humor that comes through in waves and whispers throughout her new, third release, Water for the Day. When she says, “I’ve never felt a heart so strong, darlin’,” the sentiment seems totally earnest, almost romantic. But her repeated proclamations of “It’ll be grand” somehow come with a grain of salt. And it’s the trick Short employs so winningly throughout Water: You’re never quite sure when she’s smiling, crying, dreamily wandering or simply furrowing her brow, but attempting to figure it out is half the fun. Short’s not an easy songwriter to pin down, but certainly an easy voice to be enchanted by.
Short celebrates the release of Water for the Day Sunday, April 13, with Two Sheds and Minmae at Someday Lounge. 9 pm. $6. 21+. Photo by Faulkner Short.
