California’s Sheer is back with their EP Psychic Quarry and we’ve got your track-by-track breakdown here.
“Room”
The tune opens with a grunge bounce and droning guitars that teeter across melodies, caterwauling just on the edges of dissonance. A sturdy bassline keeps things moving towards a chorus that hits like a supernova – with shades of “Supernova” songstress Liz Phair shining through in the emotive melancholia of the vocals.
“Enfold Me”
Chiming guitars flow into this slow burn number that again harkens back to some of the finest rock of the Nineties. While the tune has an understated energy throughout, it nevertheless spans a dynamic range as clean strings and sizzling cymbals give way to distorted fuzz and crunch.
“To Love And Feel Alive”
Strongly strummed chords jangle under plaintive vocals on this dreamy track that eventually coalesces and leaves the listener awash in pleasantly chill vibes. The lyrics include the message that “it’s alright to love and feel alive”, a permissive and much needed affirmation for the modern era where everything from our own anxieties to societal pressures often advises otherwise.
“Shut It Off”
Bristling and sparkling energetic power pop. The lyrics are punctuated by the rise, fall, and roar of instrumentation that conveys fear, frustration, and self-imposed isolation in a way that is both catchy and cathartic.
“Euphony”
What could have been a sulking spiral of emotions is buoyed by explosive percussion that peppers the track with vibrant levity. Furthermore, there is a glamour and comfort in the doleful vocals and cool honesty of the lyrics. While they might not deal with the most accessible topics for a three minute and change tune, they are nevertheless universal and relatable.
“Stutter”
Arpeggios echo and shimmer underneath this soaring, almost instrumental tune. While the lyrics are sparse, the music ruminates on each phrase in remarkably expressive ways that wordlessly reveal sonic and emotional depths and heights.
Psychic Quarry is out now on The Native Sound. You can follow Sheer on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bandcamp.
