Shining Through - Shapeshifter EP
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: May 1, 2009
James Clelland, the mind behind Shining Through and Shapeshifter EP, is an artist wearing a proud, pierced soul. By unhinging his warbling, temperamental cry, these songs about what he thinks about himself and what he thinks other people think about him are delivered with an acute nakedness. Clelland lets loose. Hair down, lyrics disjointed, charging opener "I Owe You That" alternates between the punching chorus line "Do I owe you that / I don't owe you that" (provided by Brian Warren of Weatherbox) and explorations of lost and high thoughts.
This EP is the latest installment in the Shining Through band project Clelland's been tinkering with for years. It follows 2007's Man Vs. Wild seven-track EP, a small gem of Clelland's mental scribblings. But as an even smaller gem, Shapeshifter is only three tracks. Nonetheless, it masters the off-kilter melodies and loose timing of his quirky indie rock "sound". Sprinkling and sharp guitar parts of "Dancin' Round The Devil" or the end of "I Owe You That", for example, are accidentally endearing. It's as though he threw his crunchy guitar notes in the air and kept them exactly where they landed. The combination of this freedom and Clelland's overall unrelenting outpouring is liberating. We see this with the softer tune "You" too, except that the pulsating, questioning progression of melody and gentle female background vocals are timid. This is the sweetened end to little bit of self-reflection.
Trotting gracefully on it's own two left feet, Shapeshifter is as close to a career success as a three-song EP can be; it shows Clelland has grown confident with his musicianship. The question remains whether or not a full-length could now preserve the off-the-cuff energy that makes Shining Through. Until we get that answer, Shapeshifter can only really be an awesome taste.
Julia, I figured you would come through with a nice review for Shining Through...seeing that you are probably the only person on this site that loves Weatherbox, and the SD scene, as much I do. I can't believe we're only getting three songs though. Plus, I've straight wore out all these tracks already. Anyway, loved the review. More people should listen to these guys.
Julia, I figured you would come through with a nice review for Shining Through...seeing that you are probably the only person on this site that loves Weatherbox, and the SD scene, as much I do. I can't believe we're only getting three songs though. Plus, I've straight wore out all these tracks already. Anyway, loved the review. More people should listen to these guys.
When are we going to get us some Cosmic Drama?
I should probably live in San Diego, but I'm too much of an East Coast girl, haha. But I've seemed to love anything that comes out of that area.
And fuck yeah Weatherbox, I want to hear Cosmic Drama so bad. I have to say it's probably my most anticipated for the rest the year. I've heard only one song off of it so far, and that a rough version. It was a bit weirder than I expected, but I was intrigued, to say the least.
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