SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: SHEBAD – MUSIC IS THE ANSWER

SHEBAD
MUSIC IS THE ANSWER
LOVETOWN RECORDS

Hailing from Guelph, Ontario, jazz fusion meets neo soul outfit Shebad has been making a noteworthy buzz of late. Following a string of singles and an EP released from 2021 onwards, the band has released their debut full-length record, Music Is The Answer.

It opens with the weaving melodies, harmonies, and rhythms of “Love Is The Message”. This track perfectly sets the tone for the album, demonstrating a snapshot of the Shebad sound that plays with a jazz fusion foundation and a modern neo-soul tone. There is just enough attention to the hooks and pop stylings to keep the song grounded from transitioning into fusion noodling, signifying both a level of performative restraint and refined songwriting. This, of course, should not diminish the musicality of the band as “Love Is The Message” is built on top a complex rhythmic pattern that pushes and pulls the pulse, allowing for clean guitars to drift by as rich, honey-drenched vocals, accented by the lushest of vocal harmonies, absolutely captivate the listener. The following track, “Time Takes Time”, a ballad led by a legato and, somehow simultaneously, stumbling piano, introduces a greater presence of the band’s use of strings – a surprising and prevalent voice on the record – amid a song that feels equally inspired by the likes of Janelle Monáe and J Dilla.

Music Is The Answer continues forward showcasing multiple moments of greatness that makes for an incredibly versatile and creative artistic statement. There are singer-songwriter elements as heard on “Waves” and “Brother” alongside the absolute Euro-disco bop that is “Black Walnut” while “Division” captures a sense of longing found in classic soul and R&B. It is on “The Heart” and “Faeries” where Shebad perhaps best synthesis their multifaceted curation of influences to deliver songs that exude pure creativity and sheer magnificence. Without a moment of weakness across its ten songs, it is here where Shebad truly has demonstrated a sound entirely original to themselves; while influences are apparent, “Faeries” and “The Heart” perfectly capture the Shebad sound.

Music Is The Answer shines not only for its subtle yet exceptional level of musicianship, but also for how it pulls from a beautiful myriad of influences while remaining entirely original. Shebad is clearly inspired by a range of artists from different jazz eras, classic and neo soul – particularly the soulquarian collective – and pop, yet Music Is The Answer sees a band that has crafted a unique and distinctive sound all to their own. In this sense, Shebad has effectively used the full-length format of the album to deliver a record that should be considered a seminal breakthrough that should inspire a new wave of fusion music.

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: KAMASI WASHINGTON w/ SHEBAD @ HISTORY, TORONTO

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