专辑简介

Inspired by the musical styles of Tom Petty, Smashing Pumpkins, The Eagles and Counting Crows, and mixed with his uniquely understated brand of southern rock, Balancing Act is the first full length CD by Shawn Allen. Recorded in Atlanta, GA, Balancing Act is orchestrated with acoustic and electric guitars, electric bass, drums, percussion, organ and background vocals by Atlanta's finest players and longtime friends of Allen. Balancing Act delivers sounds and imagery with which anyone who has ever struggled, loved, and overcome their inner fears can identify. These constant themes throughout the album are presented with an intense seriousness and an upbeat outlook. From the slamming musical and lyrical fury of "I'm tired of losing my voice we should take a break..." in the angry and confused rock song, Discussion, to the declaration "loneliness nevermore" in the Eagles-like and vocally rich All These Nights, the musical landscape of Balancing Act offers a thoughtful--yet hopeful--journey worth taking. Other standout tracks include Here again, a pop/rock song about self discovery, and the nervously rhythmic rock-ballad, Bitter Eyes, which includes a two-minute dueling slide- and pick-guitar passage that mimics a conversation between two hearts and is both moving and mesmerizing. The title-derived song Sweet Little Pain sums up the album with its lines: "Balance is desire, victory and defeat / I burn from every outcome / I yearn to be complete.