Description
The Sacred Shakers find the good news in the good book. The world is a terrifying place and The Shakers look to the power of blues, country and old-time-influenced gospel music to do some soul saving, or at the very least, help you feel better while they sing of the great beyond, and the best ways to get there. Simply stated as The Sacred Shakers Live, the band releases music gathered in real time, recording the album live at Boston’s Lizard Lounge one year ago, on January 24, 2013. The Sacred Shakers were bought together by the love of songs by Hank Williams, Son House, The Carter Family, The Stanley Brothers and Mississippi Fred McDowell. Beginning in 2005, the gathering drew an ever-widening circle of Boston’s top musicians. Under the banner of the Country Gospel Brunch series, local rag The Boston Globe dubbed the congregation as “a local Who’s Who of Boston Roots musicians”. At their core are Eilen Jewell and her band– Jason Beek (drums-lead vocals), Jerry Miller (guitar), Johnny Sciascia, joined on The Sacred Shakers Live by Daniel Fram (acoustic guitar, harmonica, vocals), Greg Glassman (acoustic guitar, vocals), Daniel Kellar (violin), and Eric Royer (banjo, vocals). Without any backstory of characters, deeds, or desires, the songs on The Sacred Shakers Live pull you into cool, clear holy water. You don’t have to drink of the spirit, but you can certainly enjoy just how good it feels. “Morning Train” features a Jason Beek vocal, acting as the conductor handing out tickets to glory; “Take Me in Your Lifeboat” is one more means to get to the other side while Eric Royer sings for a seat; Daniel Fram warns with a sly wink that “You’d Better Stop Drinking Shine”, and the choir finds Greg Glassman’s falsetto leading them in their chant and their need to find a spot to lay their soul down in “I’m Tired”. Eilen Jewell, for the most part, backs the boys in the band as they take the lead microphone for the tunes on the album. Eilen takes the lead to gather the faithful with the loving request “Won’t You Come and Sing for Me?”. Opening The Sacred Shakers Live, Eilen invites us in by explaining why her voice is rising up with unbridled joy as she sings “all night, all day, angel watches over me”. The Sacred Shakers Live lets the songs exist in their natural form without any glossy touches or studio fixes, believing that their almighty knows that “it ain’t the meat, it’s the motion”.
