A debut album from Boston foursome shiverlane was on my musical wish list for 2024. And now that it has arrived, I must say it's as good as expected. Shiverlane is one of those bands you talk about and keep saying over and over, "They're such great songwriters!" Maybe that's just stating the obvious. Are there really any great bands out there that don't write great songs? But perhaps you get what I mean. Of course these guys know how to write quality tunes full of earworm melodies. But beyond that, they are storytellers, philosophers, and wordsmiths of the highest order. They are veritable bards of power pop!
Shiverlane's ability to write highly intellectual pop songs without coming off as pretentious is rare in the music scene, and Sketches from the Departure Lounge is a splendid little debut album. Influences run the gamut from jangly '60s pop to quirky '90s indie/alternative to the late '70s/early '80s heyday of new wave pop. While 37 1/2 percent of Sketches from the Departure Lounge is comprised of standout singles previously released by shiverlane, the other 62 1/2 percent of the album is absolutely at the same level. And while the singles ("I Get Nervous," "Aeroplane Driver," and "Little English Pleasures") worked wonderfully as standalone releases, they are even more enjoyable as pieces in a beautifully conceived series of musical vignettes. Likewise, "Bella Bereaver" and "Hippie Bottom Bell" would have been worthy singles in their own right. Add in a couple of choice deep cuts in the near-epic "Beat Skipper Wings" and grand closer "The King's List," and you've got an album that feels complete and satisfying in spite of its brevity (eight tracks running less than 25 minutes). If you like smart, well-crafted, and undeniably catchy guitar pop, shiverlane needs to be on your radar.
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