ALBUM REVIEW: The Shindellas Pioneer Joyful New American Soul on ‘Shindo’
Jim Shahen
Posted On October 17, 2023
On new album Shindo, The Shindellas — the trio of vocalists Tamara Chauniece, Stacy Johnson, and Kasi Jones — present a sound they call “New American Soul.” It’s a style that touches on more than a half-century of music, from the classic girl groups of the 1950s and ’60s to funk and disco and modern R&B. In The Shindellas’ capable hands and marvelous voices, this amalgam makes for a joyous listening experience.
The sublime “Last Night Was Good for My Soul” provides the ideal snapshot of the various strands of music The Shindellas weave together. There’s a little bit of The Supremes in the harmonies on the chorus, En Vogue and ’90s new jack swing on the verse, and a beat that evokes The Whispers’ 1979 hit “And the Beat Goes On.” It’s undeniably catchy, and if it doesn’t inspire instant dancing, that placid listener’s judgment ought to be questioned.
“Ooh La La” is another winner. The “Baby when you touch me, ooh la la, turn my world around” chorus allows Chauniece, Johnson, and Jones to harmonize and riff on a Motown-esque melody, while the rest of the song allows for each to have individual moments to shine. It’s followed by “Think of Me,” a slick ballad that would (and should) be a hit in any era.
Another highlight is “Good as Gold,” which really presents a full vision of New American Soul, contextualizing the legacy of Black female soul, funk, and R&B within one song. Listening to it, you can hear The Shirelles, Diana Ross, and Whitney Houston, as well as the influence of producing duo Louis York (Claude Kelly and Chuck Harmony), who have also worked with current stars Rihanna and Jazmine Sullivan.
Shindo concludes with a slightly funked-up rendition of the Bee Gees’ classic “Love You Inside Out.” It works for the same reason the original is so indelible: It’s perfectly structured for superlative vocal groups to showcase their individual and collaborative vocal ranges. The subtle changes to the beat pull the song out of its disco roots and modernize it. Combined with The Shindellas’ ability to sing the absolute hell out of it, “Love You Inside Out” makes for an effective conclusion to a fantastic record and a summation of how The Shindellas are continuing and updating a classic musical form.
The Shindellas’ Shindo is out Oct. 20 via Weirdo Workshop/Thirty Tigers.
