The Beveled Edges | I Guess We’re Not Alone Review

by Elberton Cisnero

Some collaborations are maps of how two distinct artistic voices can meet at the intersection of story and sound. I Guess We’re Not Alone, the debut by The Beveled Edges, is exactly that kind of project. It is a songwriter’s album in the truest sense, crafted from the partnership of Shelly Bhushan (vocals) and Anthony Lanni (7-string guitar, mandolin, organ, vibes). Together, they show how melody, lyric, and instrumentation can converse in bending genres and shared storytelling.

Bhushan and Lanni never treat genre as a cage. Instead, their songs follow with melody first and only then decide whether the vehicle should be bossa nova, tango, swing, or folk drama. This approach grounds the album in songwriting honesty. Lyrically, Shelly crafts lines that move between intimate confession (“Autumn Fell”) and folkloric storytelling (“Down The Stairs”), while Anthony ensures every harmonic and rhythmic choice amplifies the words.

“Amarillo” opens bare, with Shelly’s unaccompanied voice, a choice that instantly centers the storytelling. As the catchy melody unfolds, the song unfurls like a tango elegy. The lyric of lost love finds dramatic weight in Anthony’s chord voicings, which glide between traditional tango gestures and jazz extensions.

“I Guess We’re Not Alone” is a samba built on Anthony’s 7-string baixaria bass lines. The lyrics tell a tongue-in-cheek Texas alien tale, but the writing is serious craft. The theme has strong rhythmic phrasing, sly harmonic turns, and a vibraphone that sparkles with the steady drum pattern. Shelly leans into character, showing her range as a singer but as a storyteller.

“I’ll Be There For You” is a change in groove. Brad Whitely’s organ swells wrap Shelly’s voice in warmth, while Anthony’s guitar provides the forward bass pulse. The lyrics are storied with each section unfolding new information. The arrangement elevates as backing vocals add to the chorus.

“Autumn Fell” is a slow, moody bossa nova, enriched by Haruna Fukazawa’s flutes. The melody has an interesting shape and is delivered with emotion and personality. Anthony’s syncopated voicings maintain gentle motion under Shelly’s wistful lyric, showing the pair’s chemistry; they never overscore, only color.

“At The End Of The Day” ventures into bolero, where Arei Sekiguchi’s percussion sets the heartbeat. The horn section (Delgado, Becker, Powell) paints the lyric with a cinematic scope, augmenting the percussion and guitar rhythm section. Shelly’s seduction comes from balancing emotion and playful embellishments. The song’s Latin jazz and 60s-styled harmonies in the bridge show the duo’s songwriting humor, reminding us that not all emotion needs solemnity.

“Paris Isn’t Paris Without You” delivers romance through Will Holshouser’s accordion, a perfect color addition to Anthony’s guitar. Shelly sings in French and English with a blend of nostalgia and longing. The pair’s songwriting thrives when lyrics and instrumentation lock into shared geography, moving past genre labels.

“Down The Stairs” is an Italian folk-inspired cautionary tale that escalates with a 60s pop-rock meets Latin shading. The instrumentation grows with piano (Tosh Sheridan), flute, and guitar lines that develop over the steady percussion. Shelly’s wailing top notes dramatize the writing, giving the song an emotional climax sculpted from careful compositional choices.

“Fade Into The Sky” offers a meditative mood. Delgado’s muted trumpet floats above the guitar and drums. Shelly’s reflective vocal part has a tinge of blues. “Never Too Late” closes with swing, a love song built as a jazz standard in waiting. Anthony’s walking bass lines from his 7-string create buoyancy, while Shelly’s phrasing leans into playful swing. It’s a playful, almost mischievous expression of songwriting that nods to tradition.

Shelly Bhushan stands at the heart of the album with her voice and lyrics, shaping the songs into deep narratives. Her phrasing and timbral choices give each lyric emotional weight, never overstated but always deliberate, turning melody into lived experience. Partnering with her work is Anthony Lanni, whose 7-string guitar acts as an orchestra in itself—providing bass lines, harmonic colors, and melodic counterlines all at once. His instrumental language makes the songwriting harmonically rich and rhythmically alive, ensuring the duo’s stories are grounded in both intimacy and expansiveness.

The ensemble plays a vital role in extending this songwriting vision. Drummer and percussionist Arei Sekiguchi adapts with extraordinary versatility, shifting seamlessly from samba to bolero to swing, making rhythm a storytelling tool rather than a mere backdrop. Haruna Fukazawa’s flute lines breathe introspection into songs like “Autumn Fell” and “Fade Into The Sky,” while Tosh Sheridan at the piano and Brad Whitely on organ bring harmonic density and warmth, adding new shades to the lyrical messages. The horn contributions of Alejandro Berti Delgado on trumpet, Ric Becker on trombone, and Jeremy Powell on saxophone act as a dramatic counterpart to Shelly’s vocals, painting moments of tension or release with cinematic resonance. Will Holshouser’s accordion and Garry Ianco’s string arrangements further expand the palette, often heightening the geographic or cultural references embedded in the lyrics.

 I Guess We’re Not Alone demonstrates that songs need not be confined to a single genre or formula. Instead, strong songwriting thrives on openness of lyric and melody first, instrumentation as architecture, and collaboration as chemistry. The Beveled Edges use songwriting as craft and connection. By weaving together Soul, Jazz, Pop, World, and Brazilian/Latin traditions, Bhushan and Lanni offer stories in various textures.

Artist: The Beveled Edges
Album: I Guess We’re Not Alon
Label: Self-Released

Release Date: June 20, 2025