The Shining - 'True Skies' (Zuma)
3/5
By: Toby L
Ex-Verve monsieurs Simon Jones and Simon Tong must have messed their kecks with excitement on the formation of The Shining. Not just content with a past within one of the defining British groups of the 90s, like their former leader, El Ashcroft, they now have another chance at cracking the mainstream in a new musical-guise.
Yet their latest imprint has been met with a most mixed of reactions: critics, hesitant to take in the trad-indie styling of their current output, are largely sceptical about the group's potential, but da kidz, meanwhile, can't seem to get enough of it, packing out the group's shows and making former singles such as 'I Wonder How' underground-favourites.
So, with debut-LP, 'True Skies', you'd think that the final judgement could be cast, the nail in the coffin, as to just whether or not The Shining mark a group of 21st Century relevance or a five-piece that are just five years too late, right? Well, no. Instead, the record serves to merely enhance the barrier between the non-believers and the already-converted.
Kick-starting with the early-90s swagger of 'Quicksilver' - a funked-up guitar-hymn that even The Music would have trouble sneering at - endeavours follow in the arms-aloft massiveness of 'Young Again', a tune so shamelessly aloof and soaring that you wonder if such produce is legal, and the inevitable come-down tune (in the shape of the country-fried 'Find A Reason'). It's a movitated opening, and one that finds frontman Duncan Baxter able to pout his snarly sentiments in a true being that prior Britpop heroes would have marvelled at.
But where's the innovation, the adaptation of days gone by? Their song-structures prove so predictable that the album's allure or potential mystique is utterly lost within the deep, lush, embedded production, incapable of enabling a new spin of a proven successful formula. But, granted, they do give what they've got passion - just look at the howling 'Crest Of An Ocean' or 'I Am The One' - and immense musicianship - refer to the gospel-tinges of 'Danger' - and they remain too charming and focussed to ever really hold too many qualms against their northern-soul.
So, The Shining: not so much a burning light of inspiration, as a warming spark of excitement to prove that the UK can still muster song-smiths of an accomplished and infectiously melodic quality. And at least they're not going for the quick route to success either - by copying The Strokes.
Artists in this article: The Shining
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