SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE SHA LA DAS – YOUR PICTURE

THE SHA LA DAS
YOUR PICTURE
DIAMOND WEST RECORDS

The Sha La Das is an inherently perfect name for a group that methodically creates tracks with such a profound combination of sentimentality and easy-listening sensibilities; the album tends to feel like a scorching hot coffee on the first cold day of autumn. From the launch of the opening track’s initial moments, you’re instantly launched into a world of orange hues and lightly effect-laced electric guitars, all of which operate in the background while the emotions of the group vocals constantly swell; the melodies and vocal lines take centre stage, physically and emotionally, thanks to the consistent group vocals from the family-operated, self-described doo wop group.

Seventy-nine-year-old Bill Schada, frontman and mastermind of the musical project, and his family aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel. However, the tracks they have carefully concocted and gently placed on streaming platforms are lovely, gentle, and delicate treats for any music fans who can get onto their wavelength. Fans of contemporary indie folk and alternative soft rock genres should consider this a high-priority treat. The band’s gentle sensibilities and aesthetics don’t stop at their musicianship; the lyrical songwriting on this record is just as serene as the instrumentation, complementing and matching the musical backing. The track “Six Eighths of Your Time,” which is aptly played in a 6/8 time signature, features many playful similes that emphasize the meaning of the song, as well as its overall impact and sense of catharsis. “I don’t want ten eggs in a dozen/Don’t want no thumb on the scale/No optic illusion to twist my senses around.” The lyrics and vocal melodies don’t take the route of traditional templates and appear more poetic than musical; the two find a major sense of synchronicity, and it’s shocking to read the word sheet along with the music and hear how they blend so seamlessly. The result is an intricate and ever-flowing wavelength of chill tunes.

The entire LP is hypnotizing and kaleidoscopic in its low-key presentation, but one of the most exciting moments comes from the reprise at the very end of the record, “Gonna Catch You.” The brief entry takes one of the catchiest refrains on the record (belonging to the outro of a track from the LP’s middle section, “Catch You on The Rebound”) and accesses its full potential. It’s a perfect epilogue to the record, one that almost feels akin to the sensation you’d get reading a postcard from an old friend who recently moved away or went off travelling. Fans of soft, gentle rock ‘n’ roll should make this an immediate priority. It’s been a long time since guitars sounded so pretty.

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