Shane Rennison presents consistently quality songwriting throughout Irrational, an album whose pop-friendly accessibility is steeped in relatable lyrical insight, folk-ready intrigue, and emotive rock components. Julian Giaimo’s fantastic production balances an album with a range of personality, from the subdued acoustic/piano mystique of “What You Need to Know” to the brass-ready charisma within “Too Beautiful.” The result is an album that charms in its melodic accessibility, while also exploring deeply emotional states of being.
Album opener “All the Scars” captivates with its tonal variety, from twangy introspection to jumpy key bounces. The central hook—with its wordless vocal inflections, guitar twangs, and twinkling lushness—arrives quickly and showcases Rennison’s knack for creating easily digestible, replay-inducing tracks. The subsequent “Draggin'” evokes the excitement of “going out,” with lyrics like “who are you?” set against an infectious drive. Rennison admits, “I got nothing left,” capturing the emotional exhaustion of night-out escapades and social games.
“I Think It’s You” succeeds with a more ballad-like tone. Steady percussion and mellow piano pulses chronicle a lyrical journey, depicting “four long years and a house we can’t afford,” portraying a couple in strife—”I think it’s you, not me.” The track sits enjoyably between the approachably pop-friendly “What You Need To Know” and the album’s title track, where strings beautifully complement the catchy “that’s irrational” refrain with glowing effervescence. Twangy guitars push into a lushly caressing conclusion.
The second half of the album continues to captivate. “Too Beautiful” melds brass and spirited pianos with lyrical frustrations, admitting “you’re too beautiful to understand me.” “Losin’ You” follows naturally, expressing a sense of loss as glistening keys and acoustics lead one of the album’s more folk-fitted productions. The subsequent “Hey Hey Hey” injects heavy yearning, complemented by hazy guitar atmospherics in a decisive dream-pop vein. The album explores various progressions of relationships, from realizations of incompatibility to consequential yearning.
“Where am I? Who am I?” Rennison asks on “Long Road,” describing the state of being at a crossroads. A bass-heavy rumbling shifts into spacey synths and dramatic piano with riveting impact, evolving into the piano-forward finale “Where I’m At.” The farewell track feels more at peace with one’s emotional state, even while acknowledging a long road ahead of uncertainty. Full of cohesive track transitions, sharp production, and ear-catching melodic songwriting, Irrational is a compelling success from Shane Rennison.
