by Charles Davis
Here in the northern hemisphere, the vivacity of summer rolls on with the sun. A collective haze dusts up amidst the chill of autumn, with the fast-approaching winter looming ominous; such is the expression of the life-cycle we've come to understand as our subsequent fate. What once was an illusion, a reality so distant it was beyond conception, is now unfolding before our very eyes. In an exponentially vertiginous spectacle, that which seemed unfathomable must be faced.
Via Year Of The Spider, the most recent LP from Shannon and The Clams, we are introduced to a new apex of radiant heights. While always cleverly playful and attune with broader meta-physicality, what is expanded upon here is a numinous transcendentalism; an in-depth pursuit of the greater eschatological questions. By means of composition, performance, and broader atmosphere, there is a deep contemplation & reflection yin-yanging within the coltish charm. Whimsical melodies traverse otherwise dangerous landscapes, stirring up harmonic and polyphonic incantations, as rhythms cast old guard shield charms across all relative adventures. No stone goes unturned in the search for meaning; no shadow uncast amidst the noon sun.
In a testament to the label, Easy Eye Sound, the atmosphere remains unfeignedly organic in nature. With production from The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach, there is a certain pop-ish digestibility that walks a razor's edge, staying wholly true to the humanity of it all. One could imagine hearing this on “the radio,” despite its fantastic rebellion from the quantization-black hole vacuuming up the world of pop today - a feat in and of itself. This is, in part, due to the recherche contagiousness of Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard's writing, as well as the truly incredible vocalizations. The sweeping spectrum encapsulated by the band as a whole is edifying and masterfully crafted. Nate Mahan's drums thunder in the deep, and Will Sprott's key work is absolutely exquisite; a righteous highlight of the contextual lightning storm.
With Year Of The Spider, we dive into the spheroidal nature of the multiverse at work; its existence within and amidst us and our surroundings. An elegant cycle of destroy and rebuild, the praxis of woolgatherers and grand aspirers; paradisiacal ambrosian graciousness. This is an ephemeral reminder: energy is a conserved quantity; the law of conservation of energy states that energy can be converted in form, but not created or destroyed. So hold those loved ones tight, as consequent of the eternal, we've only the moment.