Richard Shindell

Iron Horse Music Hall (20 Center Street, Northampton MA 01060)

Music

Richard Shindell’s new album, Careless (2016), represents the culmination of years of work, preparation, and growth. Meticulously recorded over three years in Upstate New York and Buenos Aires, Argentina, Careless might be an anachronism: at a time when the very idea of the record-album is called into question—when technological developments and listening habits challenge its status as the natural vehicle of an artist's presentation of new material—Shindell offers us an ambitious, luxurious, full-length statement. Accompanied by his co-producer Greg Anderson, engineer/arranger Scott Petito, and a group of A-list musicians, Shindell immersed himself in the studio, allowing the time and latitude to explore, experiment, take risks—to play—as each of these eleven songs was given form and substance. While his signature acoustic guitar
style is used to good effect here, Careless finds Shindell plugging in more. “Returning to the electric guitar has transformed my relationship with all aspects of my career,” he says. “The wider sonic and dynamic range of the electric has been a real inspiration. Rejuvenating.”