Shannon Clark & the Sugar - This Old World (2023)

That album demonstrated tangible musical growth from their previous effort, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover a few months ago about their new release This Old World, available everywhere today September 8th.

They not only meet my high expectations with their third full-length album but exceed them profusely as they expand and refine their Americana / Country Soul sound to a masterful level. It is easily one of the best albums of the year so far here in 2023.

It is a big and ambitious album about our existence on this planet and about living through all of our experiences, both good and bad, with a clear-eyed view of our truths. All of our lives are full of heartbreaks and joys and all of us are of course destined to die but what Shannon Clark and The Sugar are telling us on this record is that what matters most is how we live out our lives daily.

Particular highlights of this towering collection of songs include the exhilarating and passionate titular track, which sets the tone for the album and is a fantastic anthem for 2023 and beyond, the gut-wrenching and haunting “Burn Down,” the spirited and unwavering “The Way I Am,” the alluring and sensual “Cool Waters,” and the powerful and sobering “Jackie.”

Here’s my advice to anyone who listens to this album: play the 10 songs on the album straight through and then play the title track again. In this manner, you should be able to hear how tightly well-crafted this album is and how great of an artistic achievement it is from this family-based band from Greenville, Ohio.