Album Review: It's So Sunny - Shawny

The exciting news hot off the press is Shawny, the bright new talent from Montreal in Canada, has just released his debut album It's So Sunny. Short, succinct and to the point, featuring just seven songs, Shawny has released an album that will no doubt brighten up the darkest day. An artist who writes fun, meaningful songs is always in demand, and these songs speak for themselves, with their delightful brand of melodic optimism.

"It's So Sunny" kicks off the album superbly, with what sounds like a mandolin taking centre stage, alongside a singalong chorus that is simply irresistible. The vocals are clear and direct, and the music serves to really hit the spot with its emotionally uplifting chorus. The perfect song for a sunny day, which we get a lot of out here in Queensland.

"Ollie Ollie Octopus" has already had over 7,000 streams on Spotify and deservedly so. A charming ditty, which describes in some detail the life of the octopus, and in particular how he always 'lends a helping hand'. Ollie meets a number of delightful characters on the way as he goes 'swimming with his friends in the ocean sand'. Essentially a song about kindness, and the importance of helping others.

"The Silly Dance" surprisingly announces how 'I don't like to dance', essentially 'because everyone is looking at me'. In this world however, Shawny provides numerous examples of how we can 'do the silly dance', so that any self-consciousness out there can be dispelled.  The artist then goes on to reveal how much fun dancing brings, and how we can miss out on so much fun if we somehow fail to get involved. I'm sure Mick Jagger would agree.

"Hiccups Are Forever" begins with a vibrant piano competing for space with an acoustic guitar, before the drums really kick in. A sprightly song, delivered with an almost country feel. The song also boasts a delightful melody which I had swimming around my head all day.

"The Day the Colours Went Away", is more laid-back, and has a more melancholy feel. The song exudes charm and warmth and carries a sentiment that could sit quite comfortably on a Donovan album.  The vocals sound a bit like the Bee Gees, particularly in their sixties period.

"I Love Me (L.O.V.E)" describes how we deal with adversity, and the importance of loving oneself. Essentially, the artist explains that 'it's not always easy', and 'sometimes I'm too hard on myself'. Nonetheless, the essential idea is that if we love ourselves it doesn't matter what others think, and 'we can sing this song to help us through'. In the age of FOMO where young people are increasingly trying to negotiate their way through a complex world, this song succeeds in expressing a much needed sentiment.

I reviewed the song "Justin Time" on an earlier blog if you would like to check it out; a superb track, catchy, infectious and guaranteed to have you up dancing in time to the groove. I believe most of the songs on the album have already been released as singles, which is a good way to go where Spotify playlists seem to rule the airwaves. Shawny clearly has his fingers on the pulse, not only does he know how to come up with catchy songs for kids, he also understand how to market his music very effectively.

Shawny - here comes the sun.