Bolder Than Paradise
LikeSheryl Crowor the latest incarnation ofShelby Lynne, Shannon McNally blends a dash of country, a cup of soul, and a smattering of singer-songwriter verve--a concoction that ought to  please fans of the aforementioned gals. McNally's debut EP bodes well  for a promising future. Her voice has a sultry swagger and it benefits  here from some nifty arrangements. On the opening "Down and Dirty," for  example, you can detect the scent of gritty blues-soul wafting from somewhere underneath the breezy dance track, but the combination  clicks. The highlight of these six songs is "Love Hate," a quiet  shuffle with both gentle pedal steel and horn-section accents. The  quirky little romp "Just Like Chicken" is kind of fun, as is the groovy  cover ofPaul Simon's "50 Ways," though neither is about to set the world afire. Still, there's enough interesting stuff here to make one look forward to McNally's forthcoming full-length.--Marc Greilsamer