Record Label: S/R
Genre: Indie
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com

This obscure band and its frontman Vincent Brue is on par to put out more albums than Frank Zappa. Everytime I brush my teeth, there seems to be another album. (Granted, I brush my teeth once every two months.)

Sadly, this is SHSLCB’s last – in fact, posthumous – album. It was recorded in 2006, along with probably 200 other tunes, but the band broke up during mixing due to creative and personal problems. A couple of years later, Vincent Brue salvaged the mixes and hand-selected the best tracks from that session.

It’s incredible to think that Brue or the band may have been initially disappointed by these tunes. Like their other releases, this is an undiscovered gem that mixes appealing indie-pop with creative flourishes, touches of folk and psych rock, and driven by a gruff bar rock feel (the latter isn’t by design – it’s just inherent from being from Jersey).

Given how picky I am, particularly when it comes to vocals, it’s a little surprising that I love Brue’s music, but his stuff always hits the right chord with me. It’s like they’ve created a sound that is altogether nostalgic, simple, and creative, and presented in the most pleasing way possible without pandering.

For example, check out “Paradise” – the ballady, breezy, “Do You Like Pina Coladas”-like tune would be cheesy by anyone else, but the quick pacing, layered vocals, and undercurrent of polished instrumentation make it this sweet, tasty confection.

Or “Bed Of Sand,” which could be ruled off as a 90s alterna throwback if it didn’t have the most perfect guitar distortion and band interplay.

Or “We,” which could have been a pretentious indie jam with marching-band snare, except that instead of listlessly following the drumming, the vocal melody is unbearably catchy. And then the soaring guitar distortion, energetic drumming, and vocals coalesce to an uplifting crescendo. This is a song that would take Arcade Fire 7 minutes and 10 band members, and here it’s made better by the fact that it’s only 2 1/2 minutes.

I’m sad the band is over and done, but they ended things with a bang. Given how prolific they were, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for more posthumous collections.

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