Album Review: The Shaker Hymn – ‘Do You Think You’re Clever?’


Do You Think Youre Clever




Forgive the name, seemingly derived from a kitchen in the band’s local church out-house (look up Shaker kitchens, you heathens, if that flew over your head), because if that’s the only negative then these boys are onto a sure-fire winner.

Sophomore effort ‘Do You Think You’re Clever’ is a step along the career trajectory which saw The Shaker Hymn deliver their debut album ‘Rascals Antique’ in 2014. They’re hardly household names in the UK, so let’s delve into their backstory before we address the music.

The boys in the band hail from Cork, have known each other since school and in 2012 embarked on a two month-long road trip of the US. Perhaps not traversing the country in search of Kerouac vibes and dreams of leaves of paper taped together to form a Cork version of On The Road, it is regardless a nod towards fellow Irish scenesters of the early 2000s The Thrills, who in 1999 spent four months living in San Diego and returned home with Beach Boys harmonies and the catalyst for a Mercury nominated debut album.

The inception of the band occurred on this road trip, and the American air has obviously not only seeped into their lungs but also into their music. ‘Do You Think You’re Clever’ isn’t straight up Americana a la Band Of Horses, but The Shaker Hymn have definitely sieved out the best parts and added Cork grit and punchier, heartier guitar riffs courtesy of guitarist Robbie Barron.

The album kicks off slow, mellow and paradoxically as singer Caoilian Sherlock informs the listener that he doesn’t “ever want to see the world” (make your bloody mind up, you were just hanging out on the other side of the pond not so long ago. Keep on embracing the world), while third track and current single ‘Sucking It Out’ comes into focus showing off an ear for a tune and a knack for bashing out nigh-on-three-minute-long punchy, poppy offerings.

The title track hits the spot in a similar manner; just under three minutes and with a vocal nod towards Luke Pritchard of The Kooks – surprisingly, not a criticism. Short, sharp, to the point and very easy on the ear.

Stand out track ‘Baltic Heart’ sees Sherlock bemoaning a lost love: “I’m lost, I’m lost, I must be getting soft, it’s not like me to let you get away” while ‘Another One Of You‘ stings with the motif of small town attitude and alienation (maybe that road trip wasn’t so bad after all), delivering the killer line “I don’t want to be another one of you” amongst swirling guitars and upbeat vocals of realisation that excitement and worldly education is out there beyond the confines of your town and its shackles.

The Shaker Hymn realise this and are playing their hearts out of these restrictions. This is not a willingness to disassociate themselves from Cork, but a nod towards the fact that it’s a big, round world out there the last time they looked. As ‘The Age Of Reason’ closes this intriguing album, Caoilian Sherlock implores us to see that it is “so easy to love everyone”.

Surveying the scenery of the modern world in 2016, you just wish everyone had that 20/20 vision.



(Matthew Lawrence)


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