The Newest Noise for Your Listening Pleasure! | By Nicholas Senior
Luray
Richmond, Virginia
Dig | July 26 | 6131 Records
RIYL: Non-“Deliverance” banjo. Self-discovery. Comfortable discomfort.
Pick up Dig HERE!
“The music I’ve written for Luray was something I had bubbling up inside me for a long time,” singer-songwriter and banjo player Shannon Carey states. “I think [I was] hesitant to be so honest and put myself out there. It was only after I started learning banjo—I had previously played guitar—that a part of me opened up. I think being a ‘beginner’ in that way helped me get out of my head and be more intuitive with the songs.” She’s spot-on, as there’s an elemental, soul-bearing character to her second album. Dig does, er, dig up some rather poignant and powerful personal anecdotes, as the record was written during a period of self-discovery after a divorce, but it’s not a morose, meandering musical journey, and Luray isn’t lured into the swamp of self-deprecation. Dig feels like a form of therapy, and the wistful, barebones nature of the music only adds to the album’s power. Carey comes from Virginia, and there’s a spiritual yet folksy aspect to her compositions that matches her haunted and haunting voice. This isn’t peppy listening, but for those willing to dig a little deeper, Luray is magical stuff.
Top photo by Jake Cunningham
