January 27, 2005

Shearwater "Thieves"

Austin, Texas' Shearwater follow up last year's critically regarded Winged Life with a brief--yet quite substantial--five song EP. Thieves continues to tread the depths of melancholy, but with only five songs, it's a very focused, poignant portrait of the darker, sadder sides of life. From the gentle, lethargic pulse of "You're the Coliseum" and the gorgeously dark Jeff Buckley-esque "There's A Mark Where You Were Breathing," (with Jonathan Meiburg's best vocals to date) Shearwater haven't lost that no-lovin' feeling. In spite of those sadder moments, the upbeat rhythms of "Near A Garden" and "Mountain Laurel"--both of which contain some rather nice country pickin'--keep Theives from being a downcast pity party. Thieves is a nice little postcard from the edge, showing that the band's depths are growing and it shows that Shearwater is quietly becoming more than merely a 'side project.'

--Joseph Kyle

Artist Website: http://www.jound.com/shearwater
Label Website: http://www.misrarecords.com

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