Review Summary: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are grey..."
Drawn from the collective minds of a six-piece band from Boston, 'Shiny Eyed Babies' is a bizarre and beautiful musical experience which counters convention, yet still flourishes itself as an exceedingly appealing album. It bundles accessibility with the avant garde, fuses technicality with emotion whilst all being neatly and chaotically wrapped in a ribbon of impressive and unexpected progressions, and there is certainly a method in the madness.
One of the most impressive aspects of this album in terms of songwriting is its unpredictable, effective and relentless progression. There is little shortage on spontaneity that causes songs to erupt from gentle lullabies to dizzyingly high howls and fist pumping beats, only to revert back to serenity to repeat the cycle, such as in the magnificent 'In God We Trust'. The variations in genre is just as impressive; from the gentle piano sonata of 'Untitled' to the metal-esque 'Way Too Long', and from the bouncy folk-infused indie-pop of 'Skin' to the operatic 'Battle Creek', this album is anything but lacking in variety. It would be misinforming to say that these songs are limited to those given examples of genre, as many songs incorporate these genres (and more) often into the space of longer than five minutes; 'Dead Horse' is a prime example that displays the albums finesse at progression, shifting from gentle electronica to symphonic stadium rock to ambiance seamlessly.
The cornerstone of the album is without a doubt the intense vocal performance from Courtney Swain. Opening with the ballad 'Shiny Eyed Babies' shows a concise display of the gentle and powerful capabilities of her voice, yet is only a taster of such greater things. Songs like 'Way Too Long' and 'Dry' showcase both a sensuality and an aggression in her voice between the whispers, gravelly roars and banshee-like wailing; whereas the clean and delicate vocals at the beginning of 'I'm Still Here' and 'Untitled' display innocence and fragility. Perhaps the greatest vocal performance in 'Shiny Eyed Babies' which harnesses all of these aspects is 'Sunshine'; the development from a gentle serenade to desperate screaming, twinned with the song's iconic optimistic lyrics, presents this adaptation to be a spine-tingling, despairing and chilling epic. As a whole, there are no moments of weakness in the vocals as they are unfaltering throughout the entire album.
Despite the limelight belonging to the vocals, the instrumentation in 'Shiny Eyed Babies' is still very impressive; it wraps itself around the vocals so that both augment and compliment each other, yet the instrumentation does not distract attention from the star of the show. Such is shown, for instance, through the homophonic melodies of 'I'm Still Here' where the vocals are delicately mimicked by guitar and piano alike; and alternatively in 'Being Human' there is a trade-off between the melodies of the vocals and instruments in the hard-hitting chorus, displaying their flair to be distinct yet still familiar to each other. The instrumentation is strong on its own too, such as the mesmerising intro to 'Skin' where there is a beautifully chaotic dance between the bouncy violin and the syncopated drum beat. There is also a fantastic use of spacious, ambient soundscapes at the ends of 'Dead Horse', 'Being Human' and 'Toothsmile', the latter being especially terrifying and eerie. However, sometimes there is the feeling that the instrumental sections and the (ever-so lovely, I must stress) 'Democratic Chorale' leave you itching impatiently for the next installment of spectacular vocals. Although following the explosive end to 'Sunshine' may have played part to this disadvantage, 'Democratic Chorale' may also be the necessary calm following the storm, and expresses the ultimate contrast between the delicate and the intense throughout the album.
'Shiny Eyed Babies' is one of those albums that doesn't fail to impress and surprise. Each song is a vessel of unique and creative progressions and sounds that don't tire, and with each listen you find hidden nuggets of detail you haven't noticed before. The album is a wild cocktail of experimentation in mood, genre, sound and progression that can be savoured in its entirety or enjoyed in single sips. Regardless of how you listen to this brilliant album, you'll be left with a toothsmile on your face.
