So I can’t stop listening to this song. For real. CAN’T STOP. You know those hoarding shows where some seventy-year-old lady with 15,000 cats can’t stop buying bald eagle quilts or commemorative Civil War plates (this is the South, after all) even though there’s absolutely no room to move around in her house and there’s cat shit in the sinks and all sorts of horrifying, heinous shit is moving, growing and dying all over the place? That’s the sort of fanatical, crackhead-level devotion I have to this song right now. I’ve tried moving on. I even like the next track quite a bit. But something inside me won’t let it go. It’s like I’ll be listening to the next song thinking to myself, “You know, this is pretty good jangle-pop. I like the singer’s voice, the melodies are strong, the guitars have a little bite to them and OH MY GOD I NEED TO LISTEN TO ‘FINSTER’ NOW OR I’LL FREAK OUT!” Hit the back button. Hit repeat. Exhale. The monkey has been satiated. For now.
So what is it about this song that I like so much? I’m not exactly sure. Something about it reminds me of Munster and Sons if those guys actually wrote interesting songs instead of hackneyed, anthemic BS for the Dave FMs of the world. But if I had to pinpoint a more exact answer, I’d say that, aside from the splendid melodies and excellent instrumentation, the song defies my expectations at almost every turn. Each time I try to paint it into a corner, some new wrinkle unfolds and the band scurries off into another direction. The movements aren’t necessarily grand or bold, but they’re dynamic enough to keep me alert and expectant. Normally the way the sparkling guitars weave themselves around the vocals would be enough to make me swoon, but Shook Foil offer so much more here than elegant songwriting. For instance, that guitar solo they drop into at the end is FUCKING MAGIC. Nothing fancy or frivolous, just something with teeth to rattle your cage after so much well-measured loveliness. I could go on and on about this track, but it’s probably better you gave it a listen and came to your own conclusions. You already know where I stand.
Shook Foil will celebrate the release of the Little Significance EP tonight at the Drunken Unicorn. Supporting them will be Curio Museum and Baby Baby. Doors open at 9pm. Admission is $10 and includes a free copy of the EP.
More Info:
Bandcamp: www.shookfoil.bandcamp.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shookfoil
