Food for Worms

One thing can be said about Shame: theyre not afraid of shaking things up. After 2018s debut album Songs of Praise ushered in a wave of like-minded bands using post-punk to channel their frustrations, the South London quintet moved on, adding touches of highlife and dance-punk to 2021s Drunk Tank Pink. With Food for Worms, Shame cut their post-punk ties, letting their previously taut songs unfurl into uncharted territory. Aiding them is Flood, a logical choice of producer for a band with a flair for the anthemic, but the results arent exactly predictable; the albums most straightforwardly rousing song, "All the People," closes the album in a burst of bittersweet glory. On their previous albums, Shame always sounded resolutely sure of themselves. On Food for Worms, theyre confident enough to entertain more possibilities and more vulnerability within their music. They make one of their biggest leaps with "Orchid," an acoustic waltz that displays a remarkable amount of mystery, romance, and poetic wonder from these usually jaded observers. Even when they return to keenly noted critiques on "Different Person" ("You speak with a different accent now/For fun"), its shifting tempos and rhythms and operatic intensity reflect their commitment to expressing themselves in new ways. Sometimes, these new ways arent as immediate as the old ones. Though Food for Worms songs are still grounded by shouted choruses, Shame give themselves more room to wander between them, adding passages of shimmering distortion reflecting the influence of Blumfeld and Merchandise on "Yankees" and surging peaks and valleys on "Fingers of Steel" and "The Fall of Paul." Despite all the changes Shame introduces on Food for Worms, the fury of their music is in rude health. They sound as combative as ever on the surprisingly funky "Six-Pack" and "Alibis" -- one of many songs that reaffirm Charlie Steen has one of the best bellows of his generation -- and when "Burning by Design" gallops towards its close, it makes for one of the albums most exhilarating moments. On Food for Worms, Shame dont so much discard everything that came before as they strip away what doesnt fit anymore. Occasionally, the results are a little muddled, but at its best, the album is a thrilling testament to creative bravery. ~ Heather Phares

一昨年の前作『Drunk Tank Pink』が全英8位のヒットを記録し、着実に人気を上げつつあるサウス・ロンドンの5人組ロック・バンド。3作目となるこのニュー・アルバムは、U2やPJハーヴェイ、ナイン・インチ・ネイルズら数多くの大物アーティストを手掛けてきたフラッドをプロデューサーに迎えている。これまで同様に彼ららしいソリッドで研ぎ澄まされたポスト・パンク・サウンドが堪能できる一方で、今回はバンドの演奏を一発録りしたかのような、ラフでありながらも強烈で一体感のある音像が印象的。いままでになかったメロウなタイプの曲や、アナログ感たっぷりな温もりのあるサウンドも含めて過去最高に生々しい作品と言え、彼らのライヴ・バンドとしての魅力を最大限に活かした快作だ。
bounce (C)赤瀧洋二