Shawn Mullins who is best known for his 1998 top ten hit, “Lullaby” from his independent record Soul’s Core, returns with this new release. It is named after the studio where he recorded the acoustic tracks, the converted Ninth Ward shotgun house owned by Truckstop Honeymoon’s Mike West, who plays a handful of stringed instruments, including banjo, acoustic guitar and mandolin on the album.

As the title suggests, this is a record that is rooted in acoustic music with plenty of pickin’ by many good musicians including mandolin player Chris Thile (Nickel Creek), guitarist, Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow, Don Henley) and bassist, David La Bruyere (John Mayer). Lyrically, Mullins sticks to lovesickness as a theme. It sometimes seems like whining, but its mellow whining. He makes it all sound pretty on “Talkin’ Goin’ To Alaska Blues,”which swirls sweetly, and “Find Love” is his most charitable song about love and relationships, with a hopeful chorus even if the sentiment seems shallow. When he departs from his theme and adds electric guitars, he gains some much-needed energy.

This record was recorded last April before Hurricane Katrina, when the studio was destroyed when the Industrial Canal, was breeched. West was on tour at the time and sadly, has since relocated to Lawrence, Kansas, where the studio is operating again.