Big Blue Sky

AMG Review of Big Blue Sky

Kelly McCartney
All Music Guide

From the opening chords of "Canyons & Caverns," the talent of Shawn Mullins is apparent. Spending the two years after 1992's Better Days on the road building a strong fan base in the southeast United States and his hometown of Atlanta, Shawn Mullins found his voice, becoming a more mature writer and natural performer. His strengths as a singer, songwriter, and guitar player are reminiscent of Shawn Colvin and James Taylor, and standout tracks such as "In Her Eyes," "Another Look," and the haunting "Evolution Man mark his place in history amongst these acoustic heroes. As the painfully honest and touching "Baby Blue," "For Shari," and "Telling You" show, this is an artist exorcising personal demons through his craft, not afraid to confront and confess his past to heal his present. Big Blue Sky was the fourth release on Shawn Mullins' own SMG Records and it caught the ear of a Los Angeles promoter who brought him westward to the club that would eventually inspire his 1998 breakout hit "Lullaby." The tastefully sparse production provided by Don McCollister (Indigo Girls, Michelle Malone) and guest appearances by friends Kristen Hall, Kristian Bush of Billy Pilgrim, and Michael Lorant of Big Fish Ensemble prove that Atlanta is a hotbed of musical hotshots, and Shawn Mullins is one of the hottest.