Shadows On A River

Shadows On A River- Shadows On A River
6/10

Resonating folk rock, Shadows On A River is as much about melody as they are about ambience. Imbuing their early songs with strong harmonies and lush production, their classy song writing bestows an elegance in their rather simple constructs. Weighing heavily with emotion, and becoming more so as the album progresses, the opening track ‘In The Water’ succeeds in immediately grabbing you with its hazy aura and glistening sounds. Shimmering into the alien pop of ‘Ships Sailing Home’ with a Radiohead’s ‘Reckoning’-esque tambourine lead-in, the varied playing techniques they explore give their dense recordings some light and delicateness. Lead guitar duelling with eerie, layered vocals adds to a blissed out, otherworldly effect. The jazzy comedown of ‘Moonlight’ bestows a glossy, classy feel that seems to have been brushed over on previous tracks. They manage to coax a dolphin-like sound out of the guitar here, too! Cleverly written and arranged, Shadows On A River exhibits an intellectual, mature style, however the songs drag in the middle of the album, with the sparseness and slow pace making it uncomfortably testing. Their clear, unaffected vocals and delicate instrumental embellishments are impressive. Though sombre, and tending to get a bit melodramatic at times on songs like ‘Into The Wild’ and later, the depth and weight seems to ebb and flow. Shadows On A River is definitely not a band for those without patience, as they’re slow to come to the boil. That said, if you appreciate slow, grandiose rock you should give it a listen.
Sarah

 

Posted by Sarah Gooding under Album, Reviews
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