THE SHACKELTONS “S/T”
If you take the melodic steadiness of a band like SPOON and you cram into it the ultra-disciplined, spiraling rhythms of FUGAZI, you may end up with something that’s a close approximation of THE SHACKELTONS. These guys share their strengths in two vivid patterns. The noisy, sometimes tuneful theatrics of lead singer Mark Redding yelp, twitch, and croon, all with flair, but never over-reach. Similarly, the guitars participate in sinewy dance moves, heavily strummed explosions, and give heed to a few fuzzed-out moments as well. At their best, THE SHACKELTONS sound like a post-punk band managing a temper tantrum (“The Breaks”), while trying to never make an unwanted scene. This eleven song release clocks in around 40 minutes in length, but the sequencing of the songs spreads out the tempos, and a slower tune like “Emergency,” is capable of making it seem like THE SHACKELTONS are dragging you through the album’s mid-section. When the propulsive, angular attack resumes on “Soft Heart,” all is well again in the land. In all, THE SHACKELTONS are one of the better indie /post-punk bands I’ve heard in some time, and while it’s easy to cut apart the band’s sound and assign it to whatever influences you see fit, that doesn’t take away any of the fun from the band’s songs.
Loveless
