Mass Shivers
Ecstatic Eyes Glow Glossy
Sickroom
Ecstatic Eyes Glow Glossy is an album with a lot of potential but ultimately little pay off. The band has a decent handle on experimental rock, relying predominately on percussive beats and low frequencies and deep melodies to make their musical statements. It’s an almost fractured take on funk; too obscure and minimalist to command dancing, but it might get some more adventurous types out on the floor. Where Mass Shivers errs is in their vocals. The insistence and sheer weirdness of their instrumentation is neutered by the completely unaffected whiteness of their vocals and their harmonization. It’s hard to believe mania and desperation from a voice that sounds so centered and aware. The closing track, “Wild Animals Club,” is probably the best example of the damage done. The song begins with dissonance and spazzy guitar work reminiscent of Deerhoof, but as soon as the vocals cut in, the steam fades out. Some effects would work wonders here and help push the words Mass Shivers is trying to communicate into the obscure realms their music already calls home.
Sickroom Records: http://www.sickroomrecords.com
