Shellac - To All Trains

[mynameisjonas]

I'm listening to it for the first time while typing this, it definitely brings up mixed emotions. So far it's really good, they haven't strayed from their path.
I listened to the Kreative Kontrol episode where Steve goes through every song a few days ago, so I kinda knew what to expect, but at the same time I totally didn't (apart from a few songs I've heard before from live performances.)

Definitely a weird experience, I still can't believe Steve is gone

[zhivago]

I can't bring myself to listen to it at the moment.

I am sure it is a killer record...they never released anything substandard.

[mynameisjonas]

I can't bring myself to listen to it at the moment.

I totally get that, I was a bit hesitant too. There's one line in the last song that's pretty tough to hear him deliver. It's almost as if he knew what was coming.

[zhivago]

It's been super-weird...there's been tons of podcast interviews of his popping up...earlier I listened to one for Surfer Rosa and it felt so strange hearing him talk.

[crazyzeke]

I am sure it is a killer record...they never released anything substandard.

Agreed, Shellac are underrated especially in terms of how well their albums are recorded, capturing that performance feel. And ever since the album dropped, I find myself thinking :-

"This is a sad fuckin' song!
We'll be lucky if I don't bust out cryin'"

[JSett]

I finally caved and listened yesterday. It's not their best, but it's still fantastic.

It was a tough listen and maybe my enjoyment was marred. Same thing happened when Mimi Parker died, I went back to their last record (that I hadn't had chance to listen to in full) and it left me feeling kind of weird at first. The second listen through I straight-up cried to a couple of songs. Now I really enjoy it, even if it brings me a certain level of sadness.

I think this will be the same.

This fucking sucks and we're only going to have more of it happen as we, and our contemporaries and 'heroes', start getting properly old.

[F15hface]

This may as well be my first Shellac record - I'd listened to 1000 Hurts on a lunch break just before Steve's death, To All Trains is the first one I listened to and actually paid attention. First of all, I think it's a great album. Caustic at times, whimsical at others, but never not ripping. Scabby the Rat is one of my favourite songs of the year. The morbidity of parts of the record is startling given events.

I have since listened to Dude Incredible and 1000 Hurts, both of which I enjoyed. Hard to form a fair comparison with vinyl vs Spotify giving trains an advantage.

[s_mcsleazy]

gave it a listen and really enjoyed it. the thing about shellac is i always felt they were one of those bands that just had their sound nailed down and the fun came from the fact they were just so great at it.

[Flurko]

gave it a listen and really enjoyed it. the thing about shellac is i always felt they were one of those bands that just had their sound nailed down and the fun came from the fact they were just so great at it.

This exactly.
Albini was hugely regarded for the way he recorded drums but the guitar sound in Shellac is the meanest an electric guitar will ever sound, no one did it as well as this.

[marqueemoon]

I can’t say I’m the biggest Shellac fan, but it was intense as expected. Nobody else sounds like that.

[JSett]

The last lines, in the last song, on the last album by Steve and Shellac...

Something something something when this is over,

I'll leap in my grave like the arms of a lover,

If there's a heaven, I hope they're having fun,

Cause if there's a hell, I’m gonna know everyone

Jeez

[BoringPostcards]

^Yeah, that’s pretty spooky. RIP Steve