The new album from Shadow Show, Silhouettes, drops on Burger Records on Friday. But unlike some of what's on that label, the tunes here are not only throwback gems, but fairly convincing modern rockers. There are similarities to others who've attempted this before, but the cuts here rock sufficiently to make this a winner despite the derivative moments throughout.
"Charades" bristles like the earliest Bangles numbers, from back when they were called The Bangs, while "Contessa" is like something from a Nuggets compilation recently unearthed for the first time. This is really good stuff, as is "Glass Eye", a slow-burner that marries a Sixties sensibility with the styles of modern indie. Most of Silhouettes is just as good, but "The Machine" hints at another path that could be pursued by these three musicians. More expansive and ruminative than other selections on Silhouettes, this one charms in a whole other way.
Silhouettes is out on Friday via Burger Records.
More details on Shadow Show via the band's official Facebook page.
[Photo: Colleen Rose]