Sheafs - A Happy Medium

Aus Sheffield stammt die Band Sheafs, die sich dem düster-monotonem Post-Punk verschrieben hat. Das Quintett besteht aus Lawrence Feenstra (Gesang), Chris Goodacre (Gitarre), Charles Mellor (Gitarre), Charlie Eastap (Schlagzeug) und Callum Wright (Bass), veröffentlichte seit 2016 in Eigenregie einige Songs und brachte dann 2020 eine auf 200 Exemplare limitierte EP namens „Vox Pop“ bei Blood Records heraus.

Nun ist es Zeit für das Debütalbum namens „A Happy Medium“, das mit dem Produzenten Adrian Bushby (Muse, Maximo Park, Foo Fighters) aufgenommen wurde, 10 Songs in knapp 41 Minuten offeriert und über das noch recht junge Modern Sky Label veröffentlicht wird.

„A Happy Medium“ ist als Milky Clear Vinyl und als Mustard Vinyl erschienen und so klingt / ist es:

 

En Route Distress recalls The Smiths, and the song’s jaunty melancholy is more than a little reminiscent of This Charming Man. Monotonal Living is just as addictive and smart, as it begins with spiky guitars and turns itself inside out with a synth-driven middle section. The boldly romantic Cycles is very nearly as good, while Vacancy is sweet and soaring. A big part of SHEAFS appeal is hearing them pack so many musical and lyrical ideas into songs that rarely pass the three-and-a-half-minute mark, like the wonderfully agile For Now, Concede and Millennial. On the other hand, Losing All Inhibitions, a bittersweet, largely spoken word ballad propelled by chilly drum machines and synths, is a standout because it’s so expansive. A Happy Medium is a remarkably fresh-sounding debut album, with more than enough personality to transcend its retro leanings.

(Click Roll Boom)

 

As well as proving they can nail an absolute explosion of a track, on “A Happy Medium” the SHEAFS prove they are able to create more relaxed and slow-paced tracks that still sound undeniably like them. On the track, “For Now” the laidback, echoing guitars and vocals almost evoke a dreampop and shoegaze influence, but still with the forceful energy and memorably unique guitar chord patterns of the SHEAFS shining through.

To be able to explore their music through different sonic lenses and still have their distinctive sound there at this level in the bands career is highly impressive and shows the SHEAFS should have no problems creating the diversity of sound needed to stay relevant over the years.  

“A Happy Medium” is an album that ticks all the boxes. It proves that as a band the SHEAFS have immense skill as well as their own remarkable style. It combines the raw and bold with the relatable and professional and is filled with charismatic dynamism that will ensure that if the SHEAFS keep up at this level their success as a band will soar.  

(RGM)