Search - Shift :: Spacesuit

Catchy fun on the happy end of the hardcore spectrum

11/03/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Far more melodic than most harcore music, this album still has a certain harcore "attitude" about it--syncopated vocal delivery, low-fi, riff-heavy guitar, and the usual upbeat messages about self-reliance and stuff. The melodicism, combined with Joshua Loucka's androgynous vocals, convey a sense of fragility that's usually lacking in hardcore. This only makes the overall effect that much more gutsy, though. The quiet acoustic numbers are a little TOO sappy and fragile--Shift shine when they rock. The title track is a real winner with a guitar line that never wears out. The new album Get In, their major label debut, is kind of a letdown--the band don't seem as sure of how they want to sound and the high point is, not surprsingly, a new version of "Spacesuit." Here's hoping they get their groove back on the next album."