Joan Shelley Has Come to Fully Master a Sense of Radiant Calm

“Her poetic imagery is dazzling” – The Guardian

“The Kentucky singer-songwriter has come to fully master a sense of radiant calm.” – NPR Music

KCRW Top Tune (2/27): “The Sway”

Touring all spring/summer with stops at Pickathon, Rocky Mountain Folk Festival, Primavera Sound &dates with Iron & Wine, Andrew Bird and Nathan Bowles

Upcoming live session on Morning Becomes Eclectic (July 2020)

Featured on year-end lists at NPR Music, Uncut Magazine, Chicago Tribune, Q, The Guardian, Paste & more

Appeared on: WTF with Marc Maron, Weekend Edition, All Things Considered, Sound Opinions, American Routes, World Cafe

Press quotes:
8.1 – Pitchfork: “Almost unbearably beautiful” 

The Guardian: “Magnificent… her poetic imagery is dazzling.” / ★★★★

NPR All Things Considered: “There’s been no shortage of great music by soft-spoken women playing acoustic guitar in 2019. But if you pay attention to one song in that vein this year, let it be “The Fading” from Joan Shelley’s breathtaking latest album, Like The River Loves the Sea.” 

Q:  “Beautiful and inscrutable, it runs very deep” / ★★★★

Mojo: “Shelley’s voice [is] effortless and unaffected, like the very best in folk music, but also warmly felt, as if profound messages and meanings are being dredged up from her marrow.” / ★★★★

Uncut: “Spellbinding… exquisite… [she] examines the necessity of finding something of beauty in the most testing circumstances” / 9/10

Record Collector: “Awash with elements that evoke a mythic, even mystic, American South rarely conveyed so eloquently since Bobby Gentry’s late 60’s purple patch.” / ★★★★ 

Metro: They’re song made of comfort, such a perfect fit it feels like they’ve been around forever.” / ★★★★★

Rolling Stone: “One of the year’s most beautiful records”