Where do I start, I think I’ve followed Dead Shed Jokers right from the beginning, reviewing just about everything they’ve ever done, listening to the ideas shift and develop release by release, caught them live a number of times, always amazed at the live intensity, but always thought what if they could focus the live intensity into a non live production?
Welcome to ‘All the Seasons’, which does exactly that, the Monster that is ‘Phantom Pains’, comes screaming out of the speakers an intense sonic maelstrom, a howl of anguish that most bands can only dream of, it pins you back in the chair and I would hazard a guess that it becomes a live set opener, a real statement of intent.
Next up ‘Feel some more’ leads me into memories of ‘Masters of Reality’, but its something quite different, a subtle shift, bursting with creativity, but retaining focus, the voice becomes just another instrument, trading time with the guitar, but what holds you is the rock-solid drum beat, holding all the parts together, the centre of the storm.
Third track in ‘Dreams of North Korea’ takes it into a different dimension, the vocal acrobatics, dropping and bending around the instruments, before we get hit with the heaviest guitar riff I’ve heard in a while, but all the time held in place with that drum beat.
‘All the seasons’ again takes the music in a very different direction, the picked guitar, underpinning the vocal, there’s a real sense of menace behind it, this is probably developing into one of my favourite tracks on the LP.
‘Aesopica *15’ is all over the place and Christ do you need a set of speakers to pick up all the little subtleties, this is a seriously clever track, on first listen it’s everywhere, but as you the listener allow yourself to be drawn in you start to pick up on all the threads that are entwining and twisting around each other.
‘Feel Today’ opens up with almost a classic rock riff, before the band dispel any hopes of a run of the mill rock track, I don’t think the guys would have it in them to not push their musical boundaries. At this point I’m lost in the music it draws you in, and have to take a breath and just admire what I’m listening too.
This is 100% the LP that will tear The Dead Shed Jokers out of the underground, it’s too good not to, there’s nothing out there quite like it and with that refusal to bend, change or allow the music to be changed by narrow minded perceptions to what music should sound like this band are going places, as the initial press is showing.
764 weaves its way from the sub-conscious to the conscious, immersing you in the sound, again drawing you in, while You’re a Thief has almost a 60’s feel to the beginning before that heavily overdriven guitar knocks you for six it ebbs and flows, rolling over you, before pulling itself away leaving you listening for where it’s going next.
Spanner in the Works alongside Phantom Pains brings the intensity back to the fore the guitar kicking up a storm, the vocal gymnastics taking the music in all sorts of directions, at times leading, at times acceding to the other instruments, there’s almost a Janes Addiction at their best feel to it, I suppose the Dead Shed Jokers version of Mountain Song.
Finally because seasons come to an end or even a new beginning, from Spring, through Summer into Autumn then Winter we have Enough is as good as a feast, this is I think a Pink Floyd Wall era Howl of Anguish, given an upgrade, in a modern world the processors are running at full capacity, its not one individuals story, but the story of a society that is withdrawing into itself, blocking out the carnage.
Fair play the Dead Shed Jokers have created an LP unlike anything out there, for me absolutely bang on, best thing I’ve heard this year, but give it a go yourself, get drawn into a world you didn’t know even existed. Can’t wait to pick up a copy of the vinyl version, which sources tell me is a rather immense coloured vinyl package.
Buy All The Seasons Here
Author: Nev Brooks
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