Eoin Shannon’s new album Every Drunk’s Gotta Story isn’t just an introduction to the artist for us, it’s an invitation into a seedy world full of tales of woe.

By Graeme Smith

The album is a concept one, set in the narrative world of a late-night bar where the desperate and lonely will bend your ear if you let them. Don’t let that put you off, because their stories will entertain, commiserate, and can all be heard from a safe distance.

Cork, Ireland’s Shannon has a style that’s reminiscent of classic songwriters like Billy Joel, Randy Newman, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits and Frank Sinatra. Every Drunk… is definitely an album for lovers of the old school rather than the contemporary, but that’s not to say it’s stuffy or outdated. In fact, it’s timeless.

Across ten tracks, Shannon laments the allure of drink and women in equal measure. Tracks such as Bartender and Puppetmaster denounce the drink while Sweetheart Candy Lovin, Jezebel, Let’s Get The Hell Outta Town, and Love Isn’t For Everyone celebrates and rails against relationships. As you listen you quickly realise the album isn’t really about drinking, but more broadly about addiction and longing, and how that can equally apply to drink or love.

What unifies each track is a profound sense of emotion mixing empathy, self-destruction, and a desire for redemption. Last Call For The Brokenhearted ends things powerfully in a final push for a better life.

Buoying the songwriting is the team behind it. Every Drunk… made use of a cavalcade of session musicians, expert mixing and mastering, and collaborators including Andy Warner, Matias Corti Mizrahi, and Artem Litovchenko to support Shannon’s home-recorded vocals.

Gabi Duboisjoli’s in Pour Me Some Unconditional Love is of particular note, contrasting Shannon’s drawl perfectly. Phil Madiera’s co-writing on Let’s Get The Hell Outta Town also makes that track stand out.

Mournful piano, licks of sax, and bluesy guitar all add to the ambience, creating a truly lived-in world.

Shannon’s album is as much a masterclass in the blues as it is a drunk singalong. If you want to listen to an album that will transport you, look no further. It won’t have you reaching for the bottle, but rather the replay button.

To keep up to date with all things Eoin Shannon, you can do so by following him on Spotify.

Every Drunk’s Gotta Story is out now, and you can listen to it below.

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