One of the things that has constantly enchanted us about Shannon & the Clamsis the saccharine and unmistakably powerful gusto of Shannan Shaw's voice. Ten years and four albums later, we're still captivated by Shaw's pipes, which are front and center on their new single "Did You Love Me," off their upcoming fifth studio album, Onion.
"Did You Love Me" is stripped down and vocal heavy, with Shaw front and center instead of hiding behind the 60s inspired instrumentation that we've heard on previous albums. Onion, which is out on February 16th via Easy Eye Sound, was produced by The Black Keys frontman, Dan Auerbach, at his Nashville studio, and finds a finely tuned and tour-tested band stretching out from their 60s-inspired, surf-inflected rock that has defined their previous releases. Onion delves into genres including soul and psychedelic pop which allow the band to explore themes of origin and self-determination, loss and recovery, and the power of community to heal after tragedy.
Shannon & The Clams had already begun writing for the Onion sessions in Fall 2016, when their world was rattled by the Oakland Ghost Ship warehouse fire in early December. In the wake of the fire, the band looked back at their origins in the Oakland underground and the importance of that world to their genesis. They could recognize the community as a delicate incubator for fringe art, and an unstable but nurturing place for performers to practice and cross-pollinate where there otherwise is no platform.
Watch the video for "Did You Love Me," which was filmed live at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater in Los Angeles.