SHY - review added 18th October 2011
Album Review: S/T (2011)
For fans of: Heavy Symphonic Rock
Originally called Trojan, renamed Shy in the early 1980s, this is a band with a big history. Shy's discography snakes back to 1983's "Once Bitten...Twice...", with a steady set of studio albums and best-ofs ever since.
For their latest foray into the world of LPs, the band is treading a different path. Gone is former vocalist Tony Mills to be replaced by the stunning-sounding Lee Smalls. The band's sound has also morphed from an AOR-biased hard rock into something much heavier, overlaid by a huge symphonic barrage of keys. The result is spectacular.
Those keys give the album such an epic vibe you'd think there was a whole orchestra involved. Steve Harris (no, not that one) makes phenomenal guitar playing sound so easy I wonder why I can't do it. The singing is, as mentioned, brilliant. The rhythm section doesn't stand out, equally it doesn't cower in the background so it must be doing something right. All in all Shy make a sound all other bands would do well to take notice of. They combine soft melody with million decibel metal so serenely it should be impossible.
Song wise, the whole album is superb. However, the slow and sensual 'Breathe', the chilled but loud 'Only For The Night', and the brooding 'Save Me' perhaps get their noses a fraction ahead.
In Summation:
If you listen to this album expecting the old Shy you'll be disppointed...and then you'll be overjoyed when you realise just how good the new Shy is. Buy this now.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall (Not An Average Of The Above):
Track List:
01. Land Of A Thousand Lies
02. So Many Tears
03. Ran Out Of Time
04. Breathe
05. Blood On The Line
06. Pray
07. Only For The Night
08. Live For Me
09. Over You
10. Sanctuary
11. Save Me
12. Union Of Souls
Band/Performers:
Lee Small – Vocals
Steve Harris – Lead & Rhythm Guitars
Roy Davis – Bass
Joe Basketts – Keyboards
Bob Richards – Drums
Other Info:
Produced By Shy and Andy Faulkner
Mixed by Simon Hanhart (Bryan Adams, Marillion, Saxon, Asia, Elton John, David Bowie, Fate)
Mastered by Tim Debney at Fluid Mastering
Label: Escape Music
Artist's website(s): Shy | Facebook
