Shelby Lynne's new CD builds on the unassuming honesty and elegance of her last release, "Identity Crisis", letting the solid songwriting and intimate vocals shine through. There is a quiet smoldering beneath the laid-back surface of her music that draws you in like a southern storm. A nice endpiece to the album is her sultry version of "Rainy Night In Georgia" (called "track 12" for some reason). Shelby's the real deal. If you liked "Identity Crisis", you will like this.

Shelby Lynne's 'Suit Yourself' begins with voices talking in the studio. One of them says, 'All this talkin'...this is your record' and Lynne replies, 'Just keep doin' this 'til we get it right'. And indeed they do get it right. The album has 11 emotionally-driven country rock, blues and Lynne's characteristically funky songs, plus a surprise at the album's end. Produced by Lynne, the songs are pared back to acoustic guitar, bass and drums and minimalist support from electric guitar, slide, dobro and keyboards to create a live-in-the-studio efect throughout. There is not a weak track, but highlights include 'Go With It', 'Where Am I Now', the bluesy 'You're The Man', the wistful 'Old Times Sake', the Lucinda Williams-like 'I Won't die Alone' and the brief but wonderful 'Johnny Met June' - written immediately after Cash's death, and this will surely be covered by other artists. The album ends with 'Track 12', an excellent cover of Tony Joe White's 'Rainy Night In Georgia', on which Lynne enlists help from the swamp man himself to create a long jam full of guts and emotion. Shelby Lynne's 'Suit Yourself' speaks directly to the listener, it is full of honest emotion and effectively demonstrates why folks everywhere sit down to make music.

How come nobody's told me about her before? This is a dynamic album! Every song - is - great. I can't wait to get to know the rest of her material. You can not go wrong with this one.

There was a time when Shelby Lynne had red hair and bounced around Nashville waiting to expose her music to the world. It has been twelve years since the release of her 1993 breakthrough record Temptation, the best of Lynne's first five albums under the country banner. In that time, especially the past six years, Lynne has been on a long journey of self-discovery, trying to find the right music that suits her well written songs. Along with a hairstyle to fit it.

Lynne's now a blonde. Maybe the change was a right move. Her 2000 release, I Am Shelby Lynne, proved she could explore different musical boundaries while maintaining a country passion. Her 2003 release Identity Crisis was, if not, the greatest country album of the year. And so, now, Lynne cuts deeper into her musical array and breaks from tradition to unload a new wrapped up package titled, Suit Yourself. Her fourth studio album in six years.

If your looking for a conventional studio album; I suggest you look elsewhere. This album drives more from a style of a one band jam session then an attempt to investigate the different walls of sounds. It's what sets this album aside from all her others. It's the same kind uniqueness that you can come to aspect from this influential and intelligent singer/songwriter.

The album begins with some chatter from Lynne and her musicians as they dropkick into the opening track, Go With It. The bar band type jam is quickly replaced as she breaks down into a Donavon-like folk style of Where Am I Now? Lynne could just about sing the textbook of popular music as she lets loose on tracks like, Old Time Sake, You Don't Have A Heart and Sleep. If your looking for her typical sincere honesty in her music, the tribute to the late Johnny Cash and June Carter, Johnny Met June, makes for some great listening. The song was written on the same day of Cash's passing and has the significant promise of devoted love and hope. Lynne can carry a tune unlike any these days. She's spices up a bluesy howl of Janis Joplin on the track, I Cry Everyday, and she's quite the Waylon Jennings on Iced Tea. What makes Lynne so appealing, is the simple fact that she doesn't care what music she plays. It just comes so naturally to her. It feels so right to listen too also.

Lynne has become much more of a musician's musician during her last couple of albums. She has a certain feel for music that not to many other established musicians have. With a wealth of musical knowledge and a pot of songs to her credit, Lynne is a one woman extraordinaire. She allows the listener to judge for themselves whether or not her music means anything to them. All she does is give out some great R&B, a dose of blues, a little bit of country, with a whole lot of sass. If you don't like it, well then, suit yourself.

When I read that the title of Shelby's new CD was 'Suit Yourself' I had a foreboding of something self-indulgent and not very appealing (a la Carly Simon in 'the bedroom tapes'). So after some initial reluctance I broke down and bought the CD based primarily on Shelby's past reputation. Then I played the CD and was knocked out. There isn't a bad or even mediocre song on the disc. 'Go With It' sets the context for what follows. No self-indulgence here, this lady has the confidence to want it her way! 'I Cry Everyday' is as good as anything she's ever written. And her cover of 'Rainy Night in Georgia' is incredible. She's simply made the song hers