"Shawn James issued his fourth studio album, The Dark & The Light on March 22, 2019. The LP finds the South Side of Chicago-born singer-songwriter in fine form, drawing upon strains of blues, soul, gospel, and folk traditions across a series of songs focused on rising above our traumas and heartbreaks to find redemption and peace. James has always had something to say on the lyrical front and his best vocal performances to date accentuate the emotional content of these songs, including the opening “Orpheus”, one of those rare songs that realigns the listener’s DNA upon first play, the autobiographical “Love Will Find a Way” and “Chicago”. Equally compelling are numbers such as “Burn the Witch” and the closing “When I’m Gone”. James has recorded strong records in the past, but The Light & The Dark is his most formidable and memorable to date." - Popmatters
