Shelby Lynne

While many female vocalists have jumped on the classic soul bandwagon over the past year, it’s been something that Shelby Lynne has been fighting to bring back to the Nashville establishment since her acclaimed 2000 debut, I Am Shelby Lynne. Just A Little Lovin’ is the furthest she has gone into this area yet, even openly acknowledging British soul diva Dusty Springfield as the album’s main inspiration. Consequently, the songs are a fascinating selection of blue-eyed soul classics, several of which are closely associated with Springfield, such as "I Only Want To Be With You” and "The Look Of Love.” However, Lynne shines on the material closest to her roots, like Tony Joe White’s "Willie And Laura Mae Jones” and Eddie Hinton’s "Breakfast In Bed.” The album’s overall sparseness may come as a surprise to some listeners at first but it immediately puts all of the focus on Lynne’s irresistibly sultry voice, one that is the perfect antidote for those fed up with the histrionics of younger singers. At the very least, Just A Little Lovin’ may be the ultimate Sunday morning record.