Music Review: Shinin’ Shade
CD: Sat-Urn
Label: Moonlight Records
Available: Now
I have been listening to a lot of bands here recently that seem to be tapping into their inner hippie who are going for a sound and style of the bands from the 60’s with the oversaturated/distorted guitars, low droning bass sounds, female vocals that sing in a stream of consciousness type of way, etc. While I have been pleasantly surprised by the majority of what I have listened to, especially since I have never cared for music much from that time period, I have to say Shinin’ Shade’s ‘Sat-Urn’ left me a little underwhelmed.
The bands bio says they have ventured out of the classic Doom sound into a more of a prog-rock/60’s psychedelic sound. I would say maybe that is half right. They do have a bit of a 60’s psychedelic sound to them but I’m not sold on the prog-rock aspect. They still seem to have more of a Doom metal sound to them than anything else. Either way though that doesn’t matter to me, what does matter to me is if the songs catch my attention and if I find them interesting, which unfortunately I do not.
When I listened to Shinin’ Shade’s ‘Sat-Urn’ I was left with an impression the band was still trying to find its musical footing. The songs kind of just play out and go on while the singer sings in her monotone voice until it all ends and we have another track to listen too, which also repeats the same formula we just listened too previously. I never found anything in the songs, whether musically or lyrically, that ever really grabbed my attention or made me say, “Oh I want to listen to that song again!”.
All of this is unfortunate because taking a look at the album based on the merit of musical talent, I hear what seems to be musicians that know the type of music they want to make but seem a little unsure of how to make it. I wouldn’t write of Shinin’ Shade as being talentless or anything like that but that they may need a little more time to develop what they want their musical direction to be.
RATING: 2/5
Line up:
Jane Esther-Collins – Vocals
Allen Kramer – Guitar, Mellotron
Mek Jefrey – Guitar, Vocals
Roger Davis – Bass
Mike De Chirico – Drums
