The Shivers
Charades
The Shivers’ debut album Charades is receiving a special tenth
anniversary reissue on vinyl for a limited time only. What’s that? Who are the
Shivers? Apparently, they are a band that was formed in 2001 by musician Keith
Zarriello. Charades received some
positive reviews but the band is otherwise unknown. Believe it or not, they are
still together; though they are currently a two-piece band. Until being
approached to review this album, I had never heard of the band. I’ve also read
that this tenth anniversary reissue is an abridged and resequenced version of
the album, clocking in at 37 minutes (when the original album clocked in a
little over an hour). Nevertheless, Charades
is an interesting album.
The
album begins with the bizarre title track, which features tape loops and other
sounds. This leads into the haunting “L.I.E.” The acoustics are pretty good
even for a song that is very minimalist. The rest of the album is pretty
eclectic while still maintaining a lo-fi sound. The Shivers can be a pretty
strange group at times. The catchy “SoHo Party” features strange lyrics that
aren’t worth repeating while the autobiographical “Roses” remembers “albino
children on the street.” The Shivers can also write some solid alternative rock
songs. The folky “Kisses” has a Velvet Underground vibe going on while the
grammatically incorrect “I Could Care Less” features blending vocals and guitar
riffs. Another highlight is “Violence,” which is another indie sounding track
but has a unique hip hop feel to it.
Whether
or not you’ve heard the original album, Charades
is worth a listen.
Click here to pre-order the album.
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