Shadowplay

Shadowplay's second album "Almost Lifelike" is unlike anything the band has ever done before. In their early years the group was very clearly influenced by the sounds of classic rock and grunge music from the 70's and 90's. This time around, the horizon of influence is far more vast. The bands most recent release of original material before "Almost Lifelike" was the 2013 single "Sandy Eyes" and it was the first time they were connected with producer Ted Richardson. "Sandy Eyes", named after the Hurricane that brought devastation to the group's home state the year prior, was certainly an improvement in their production quality; however, it was still very clearly a song in the classic rock vein. The band was smart to choose to work with Richardson again for their next album. What's different about "Almost Lifelike" is apparent almost immediately on the album's first song: "Zach Likes Trains". For one thing, it's the very first song the band has recorded that wasn't written by guitarist Dan Holden or multi-instrumentalist John Sellers. Edward Flynn kicks off the record with yet subtly guitar arpeggio very much in the veins of post-rock bands like Maserati or Mogwai, and when lead singer Andrew Corkery begins to sing he's more subtle than ever before. The ambiance slowly builds to a sudden dynamic shift, and as soon newly requited drummer Jamile Wiggins hits the snare Shadowplay sounds like an entirely new animal in comparison to their early work. On "Almost Lifelike" the songs are brooding, and Ted Richardson does a wonderful job of keeping the band's intricacies compressed and cohesive when they need to be, and he's also not afraid to let the crescendo's really explode when the material demands it. Lead single "Empty Skeleton" sounds like if Rage Against the Machine and Phantogram had a baby. "All That We Hear" is both smooth jazz and the inner turmoil of Slint. On their new album the band describes Kanye West through metaphors not too dissimilar to Shakespeare's Macbeth all above a cacophony and beat only heard on Battles songs. Shadowplay makes peace with lovers both past and current and demands our governments be held accountable for their actions. For all it's weirdness, Richardson keeps this work strangely cohesive, and it truly is unlike any other album out there. If the bands early releases were Pablo Honey, this is the Bends en route to O.K. Computer. Each songwriter is present here in full form and beginning to blossom. After hearing this record, we can only hope the next one comes out sooner rather than later.

Produced, Mixed, Mastered by Ted Richardson at TedAudio:
www.tedaudio.com

Buy Shadowplay's new album "Almost Lifelike"

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