[Review] Shelf:Life - Chrysalis
Shelf:Life - Chrysalis EP
Bandcamp ÂŁ3 http://shelflifeuk.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Shelf.Life.Glasgow
https://twitter.com/ShelfLifeuk
Shelf:Life are a four piece from Glasgow, currently gigging hard on the back of the release of their most recent EP, Chrysalis.
Don’t be misled by the name or artwork, because you’re not getting a delicate little butterfly drying its wings here.  Shelf:Life explode straight into the title track “Chrysalis” kicking and screaming - a rhythm and chug-fueled rock belter with fleeting touches of Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro and more besides.
Things take a slightly more sombre turn in track two, “Robert Louis Stevenson’s 6 Day Coke Binge”.  I’m sure I’m missing some hilarious in-joke here, but not to worry.  After a slow start, things are back to standard Shelf:Life shenanigans by the first chorus.  I can’t decide if the lyrics reference an old girlfriend or a particularly trippy stimulant-fuelled afternoon on the beach, but the tune grows fantastically and before you know what’s happening you’re nodding your head along to a huge, anthemic chorus that seemed to come from nowhere, and then there’s huge vocals everywhere and oh shit it’s all kicking off and then... it’s over.  Whoa, what just happened?
Instrumentally, Shelf:Life are all onto it - testament to them having formed while studying music together at Uni.  The rhythm section is locked down tight-as; a strong foundation under a glorious wash of guitar layers, which complement each other nicely without competing for attention.  Lead singer Calum’s solid vocals bring the whole sound together, and one thing the members seem to have in common is a good ear for harmony.
The EP as a whole is fantastically produced and really easy to listen to; superb attention to detail in the guitar tone, expert execution of parts plus a great live feel throughout. Â A transglobal high five to Glasgow producer Bruce Rintoul for that. (Twitter @BruceRintoul)
Third track, “I am an Island”, is an alt. rock/pop powerhouse; a great little tune with an intoxicating bridge and a singalong chorus.  This one was released with a video back in February, strangely enough just after I’d stumbled across the band through Facebook.
Finally, “Regal” leaps right out at you; it’s optimistic, uplifting, and on first listen became a favourite of mine.  It’s got the feel and enthusiasm of early You Me at Six at points (bite me, I like their first album), and is a great track to finish on.
This and “Chrysalis” are exactly what I was hoping far after having listened to “I am an Island” loads in the last few weeks - the three work really well together.  In fact, if I’ve got one very minor criticism, it’s that I think this release could have worked better with just three tracks - track two perhaps being kept back for a freebie further down the line or something.  It’s a great track by itself, but doesn’t really cut it for me among the other three.
But anyway, let’s not end on a negative.  This is an exciting EP which showcases the band brilliantly, stands up to repeated plays and is well worth a go.
Gigging hard this year and with no plans to stop, Shelf:Life are smashing it right now.  I can’t wait to see what they’re really capable of.
Mike - Northern Lights, RDU 98.5fm, Christchurch, New Zealand
www.facebook.com/northernlightsnz
