There’s something about my brain that tends to like music more when I find it myself. So, it’s a rare occasion when a suggestion from a friend actually sticks with me. I was first sent “Minnesota Girls” a few months ago at most, with its playful Midwestern jab at Brian Wilson; “St. Bibiana” was my next discovery and its line about being turned away from a venue because of X’s drawn the subject’s hands was instantly noteworthy to me as an edge guy. The common formula between these songs was some sort of amorphous indie rock (that has the aesthetics of Americana but hardly any of the personality with it) paired with lyrics that weren’t too serious but were always delivered with conviction nonetheless. And with songs about knives in electrical sockets on the band’s self-titled LP, you best believe The Shackletons have kept up with this trend.
Again, it’s hard to place this band sonically. While promo photos show cowboy hats and bolo ties, there isn’t much noticeably Western in the group’s dynamic. There are hints of surf rock, but they’re not too prevalent. And there are tinges of Weezer-flavored what-have-you, some shouting, some catchy choruses, and references to cannibalistic mantises. It’s… an interesting combination that I can only label as indie, if solely due to my own disorientation. Labels aside, these songs have personality. A lot of that personality is cynical and sarcastic, but the upbeat instrumental arrangements feel more like a z-snap than a middle finger.
For the most part, the tracks are mid-tempo and high-energy. The vocal lines are gritty and passionate – there are few lines that don’t feel immersed in emotion. And there’s groove here, albeit it’s restrained and utilitarian. There’s 90s high school dance energy aplenty, but nothing about it feels fully nostalgic at the same time. This is the type of album that is equally familiar and indiscernible.
But it mostly works. The Shackletons find a way to singing about keeping praying mantises as pets interesting. They craft punk-inspired riffs under sentiments about casual marijuana consumption. They casually tag a line about “flowers in a desert” with a comment about how some people won’t understand the reference (even after looking it up, I definitely don’t). They aren’t lyrically careless, but they couldn’t care less what you think about their lyrics. It’s the textbook definition of how it’s HOW you say something, not WHAT you say, that matters. And man, they are confident.
Not every song hits, but it’s obvious the crew are doing something right. “Hearts of Gold” is the most aggressive track of the bunch, but it’s still danceable. “Exactly What It Looks Like” is fairly commercial and radio-friendly, with a catchy guitar motif thrown in for good measure. “Albuterol” is a personal favorite, feeling like some distant cousin of glam rock.
The Shackletons are the musical personification of “extra”. Not everything on this LP will make sense, but somewhere in the amalgamation of odd humor, strange music videos, earworm choruses, and Midwestern charm, the band leave us an album that has no façade. Whatever this is, it’s honest and confident and even perhaps stupidly reckless at times. But it sure is fun to watch.
Here’s some inside baseball on those opaque lyrics. In almost every song, it’s a reaction to a personal experience. For instance, the reference to flowers in a desert (most people won’t catch this reference) is an allusion to the line and riff they stole from a favorite band…Scotland’s Big Country. St. Bibiana is a tale about a wedding gone bad and a group of intoxicated Mothers. Believe it or not, St Bibiana is the patron saint of…Hangovers. True. And their dog is so named. Exotic Pets is an ode to an awkward Goth groupie who kept them updated on her Praying Mantises. The writer’s self professed fave, Albuterol is what happens when a kid with asthma learns smoking pot will bring an Inhaler into play.
Yes, the band is very hard to categorize. That’s because they’re far more interested in playing whatever feels right at any given time as opposed to worrying about being commercial, accessible or definable. On any given night, the setlist or direction of the band may spin on a dime. They’ll move from punk to blues to garage to pop. Their reputation is that of a live band more than a product of the studio. That’s the reason their fan base is so loyal. It’s loud, brash, authentic and absolutely unpredictable. Kind of like watching a train take a corner at high speed and just knowing it’s going to fly off the track. But those three brothers know right where gravity trumps centrifugal force. They always pull into the station right on time.
Rock and roll was meant to be loud, passionate, irreverent and a bit dangerous. They come from a Minneapolis tradition of bands like Husker Du, The Replacements, Soul Asylum and The Hold Steady. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.