Soulful songstress Shannon LaBrie is set to release a new LP, titled Building, on September 25. Listeners got a first taste of the album with her current single “Firewalker,” a heroic anthem that continues to gain traction. NPR described the anthem as “a spirited statement to keep soldiering on” while American Songwriter calls it “a ray of light that can guide you through each day.” Produced by multi-Grammy Award-winners, Brent Maher and Charles Yingling, Building will be available on all digital retailers. The forthcoming LP is now available for digital pre-save HERE and physical pre-order HERE.
Written in 2019, each song holds significant importance and relevance now more than ever. Building offers listeners a journey to self-discovery and reflection with songs about finding strength in pain, spiritual guidance, and words that turn to bullets as in the song “The Things We Say” as she sings, “The things we say, it’s the weapon of the age.” LaBrie’s voice delicately floats over the solo piano that accompanies her, leaving no room for distraction and making her message perfectly clear. The talented wordsmith wrote or co-wrote on every track, bringing words of willful hope in songs like “Raining Hallelujah” while she creates a sense of calm in “Angels Fall” through the use of the main guitar riff fluttering throughout as the song continues to build on top: “Angels fall from the sky, every so often I feel the wind from a pair of wings, pushing me to better things.”
As the world continues to navigate through the ever-changing tide of 2020, LaBrie’s title track “Building” reminds listeners that life is exactly that, an ever-changing tide that continues to build with each experience acting as a building block to the next, “I can’t think of a better word to describe this thing we call ‘life’ than the word ‘building’,” she says of the title track. LaBrie recounts a heart-wrenching moment the morning after a disastrous Tornado ripped through her Nashville neighborhood in March of 2020, “
I’ll never forget the morning after the tornado. A friend and I were helping clear out debris; I looked over to see a couple embracing in the street in front of their house. Their house that no longer had doors, walls, or a roof. It was completely destroyed. They were holding each other so tight and that image has been imprinted in my mind as a reminder that our lives are built and held together by much more than nails, hammers, and wood but with love and compassion. I will always think of that couple when I sing this song.”
LaBrie leaves listeners with a rendition of Tom Petty’s “It’s Good to Be King,” using her smooth and sultry voice to bring new light and female perspective to a song based off of the male ego.
Building Track Listing (Writers Credits):
- Firewalker – Shannon LaBrie, Joe Robinson, Tia Sillers
- Raining Hallelujah – Shannon LaBrie, Tia Sillers
- Angels Fall – Shannon LaBrie, John Cox
- The Things We Say – Shannon LaBrie
- Building – Shannon LaBrie, Tia Sillers
- One In a Million – Shannon LaBrie, Tia Sillers
- It’s Good To Be King – Tom Petty Cover
Building is the follow-up to LaBrie’s first full-length album, titled War & Peace, which earned LaBrie and her music critical acclaim and respect within the music industry. Rolling Stone praised the 2016 project saying, “Her songs unfold with style and subtlety, coasting over the album’s lush, beautiful arrangements via LaBrie’s gorgeous voice.”
With over 12 million streams on Spotify and Apple Music, Shannon LaBrie brings to life insightful stories of a woman who remains true to herself in a life where uncertainty is certain. She is a fearless performer and guitar player whose music possesses a unique blend of Americana and Soul, and has already earned praise from Rolling Stone, CMT, Paste Magazine, and more. LaBrie has performed across the U.S. alongside artists ranging from Valerie June and ZZ Ward to Robert Randolph and Gabe Dixon.
Her music is filled with emotionally-charged lyrics that give a voice to the love and loss in which LaBrie has experienced throughout her life. The talented wordsmith’s songs have been recorded by a diverse lineup of artists including Gabe Dixon, Lillie & Madaline, and the European DJ, Boogie Pimps. A notable cut of LaBrie’s includes a co-write with Robert Randolph that resulted in, “She Got Soul,” a song off his Grammy-nominated album, Got Soul. Shannon’s music has been featured in many television shows, including Jane By Design, Army Wives, and The Client List, amongst others.
Photo Credit: Rae Marshall
