Indie Rock Hit Parade Live Session: Shannon & the Clams

Joining us for this Indie Rock Hit Parade live session is a group whose just-before Halloween visit to our studio was extremely on-the-nose. Oakland’s Shannon & the Clams have long been staples of my late October listening habits (not to mention my annual XPN Halloween Spooktacular), and it was particularly thrilling to have them stop by while on tour for their newest album, Year of the Spider.

Once again collaborating with the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, Year of the Spider shows off Shannon & the Clams’ expert fusion of street-tough garage rock with glittery soul and R&B influences. In our session, lead vocal duties are split between bassist Shannon Shaw and guitarist Cody Blanchard. Shaw’s trademark vocal style sits somewhere between Ronnie Spector and Joan Jett, punctuating “Midnight Wine” and “Mary Don’t Go” with heartbreaking emotion. Blanchard’s smooth falsetto acts as a counterpoint on “All of My Cryin'” and the otherworldly “Snakes Crawl.”

Listen to the full Shannon & the Clams Indie Rock Hit Parade session below: