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When you think of one-person-band pop rock acts, names like Todd Rundgren, Adam Schmitt or Brendan Benson come to mind. They’re all superlative artists, mind you, but all of them tend to emphasize the pop half of the equation. On Ghost Town Directory, Ari Shine also prefers to go it nearly alone, with only drummer Chris Cano for company. While he certainly displays a keen melodic sense, Shine leans more towards a rootsy rock & roll vibe, a la icons like the Faces or the Rolling Stones. It’s a style that suits his grainy voice perfectly, and gives hot tunes like “One Silver Morning,” “All I’ve Got is Love” and “It’s a Go” a classic, gritty edge. Shine doesn’t purely work this groove – he’s smart enough to vary the program with country (“Miss Nina”), lush balladry (“Here With Me”), a bopping tune (“Better Anyday”) so upbeat it could be covered by Miley Cyrus and straight power pop (“Refuge in You”). Regardless of stylistic permutation, though, Shine’s strong songcraft drives the tunes home with ease. Few recent records are as instantly appealing as Ghost Town Directory, or as capable of translating that initial buzz into lasting pleasure.
