Saturday 13 May 2017

The Shacks - The Shacks EP


(This review first appeared in issue #62 of Shindig! magazine.)

Big Crown CD / 10”

It takes confidence to open an early release with a cover but here it's fitting; The Shacks' take on Ray Davies' 'This Strange Effect' enchants and unnerves in equal measure, setting the tone for the rest of the EP. They display a musicality and restraint that belies their youth, with their own compositions as satisfying as their choice of covers.

With closely mic-ed vocals set to barely more than a whisper and lo-fi bedroom indie backing, comparisons with Mazzy Star, Jane Birkin and the Velvet Underground's third LP are not unfounded.
This young New York boy-girl duo have created the sonic equivalent of Coraline, eerie yet familiar and certain to draw you in. Also notable is the rocksteady backing provided by The Frightnrs (Daptone Records) on 'Hands In Your Pockets'. With seven tracks on the vinyl (nine on the CD), this is a generous appetiser for their debut LP due early next year.


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