The seeds of Shandy Lawson's folk-noir stories and style are sown here on Devils & Crows. The characters and personalities on this disc are rusty, busted-up suckers and heroes-in-waiting, sometimes featured in their own adventure, sometimes the shady target of a candid snapshot. Some of them are familiar. Buckle up and lock the doors when you pass through Shandytown. The west end is somewhat residential, with few complaints other than the occasional pet on the lam ("There's a dog that's been running loose, impregnating everything") and the guy in the mail truck who doesn't deliver any mail-- he just drives around "giving everyone the eye." The north end is home to the local psychiatric clinic and tracks six, eight and eleven. The south side of town's only real landmark is the bus station ("Tom's Sucker") but is also the location of the Shandytown Savings & Loan building. You'll hear all about it when track nine comes around. This is not a CD for those seeking pop, prom themes, or Jimmy Buffett drinking songs. But folks seem to like it anyway. "Insane" was nominated by Just Plain Folks for "Traditional Folk Song of the Year" in 2001.