Feed Like Fishes

Shouldの1998年のデビュー作『Feed Like Fishes』に、当時のボーナストラック10曲を加えた初のLP再発盤。シューゲイズ、スロウコア、ポストロックの狭間に位置しつつ、Yo La Tengo、Slowdive、Bedhead、Galaxie 500 などを想起させる、実に複雑で魅力的な一枚。まるで、門限を3時間も過ぎた平日の夜、車でカントリーロードを猛スピードで走りながら、窓の外に頭を出して風を受けているようなスロウコア。

The folks in Phoenixs Half String talked up this trio when they were Austin, TXs shiFt (before they moved north to various universities and gave up their name because of another band called Shift). And its easy to see why: Should would have fit perfectly into Arizonas former "beautiful noise," post-dream pop scene. Even without the interestingly sedate but grasping cover of the Wedding Presents "Spangle" (and, on another record, 18th Dyes "Merger"), their sound makes it apparent that they can match the English in pairing inventive, modern guitars to lulling tunes for nighttime singing. You could see "Sarah Missing" appearing on a Slowdive or Mojave 3 record, what with the beautiful male/female cooing (from the Ostermeier brothers, Marc and Eric, and Tanya Maus), the far away, knelling guitars, and the enveloping production. But this is no recent nostalgia, or even British-wannabe sound. Stick these folks on a bill with Wheat, Acetone, Idaho, Red House Painters, and Low and they would easily hold their own, and prove once again that slower (not slow) tempos dont make for boring music in the right hands. This is so pretty is almost hurts. (715 University Ave. SE #201, Mpls., MN 55414; eoster@polisci.umn.edu) ~ Jack Rabid