Album Of The Week: "Murder Shoes" by Murder Shoes

Flatbasset Radio's Album Of The Week for the week of April 26th-May 2nd, 2015:

Murder Shoes - Murder Shoes

01. Charlotte Manning
02. Maybe You Can
03. Under The Sea
04. See A Little Louder
05. In Your Bed Or On A Train

Credit: Aaron Fenster

Over the past year or so Land Ski Records has proven to be a haven for local talent.  With releases from The Persian Leaps, The Person & The People, & Deleter under their belt, they've proven that they not only have a keen ear for talent, but more importantly, that they're a label for bands that take their craft seriously.  That's no slight to the dozens of great labels in the Twin Cities (it was just last week that I was singing the praises of Forged Artifacts & No Problem Records), but every album that's come out so far via Land Ski has been well-crafted, well-produced, and professional.  Nothing the label puts out seems "off the cuff," and I mean that as a compliment.

With that reputation in mind, I was thrilled to spend the week with the new EP from local band Murder Shoes.  The description of the band described them as "Surf Noir," a genre that, as far as I know, hasn't really existed before.  After spending the week with the album, I can say that description only scratches the surface of what's going on here.

Consisting of Tess Weinberg on vocals & keyboards, Chris White & Derek Van Gieson on guitars, Elliot Manthey on drums, & Tim Heinlein on bass, Murder Shoes write, at their core, pop songs.  Oh sure, the songs have a bit of that "surf rock" guitar twang to them (especially "Under The Sea"), but unlike some bands, that aesthetic seems to be just a stylish bit of window dressing for finely crafted pop songs.

Opening track "Charlotte Manning" is particularly ndicative of what makes Murder Shoes unique.  The song is a slow-burn opener for the EP that says as much with its empty space as it does with Weinberg's haunting voice or the surf-ish guitar solo in the middle.  Give it a listen:



Weinberg makes her talent evident throughout the album.  On "Charlotte Manning" she sounds like Beth Gibbons.  On "Maybe You Can" and "Under The Sea" she manages to sound like Jenny Lewis.  Along the way the band stays tight & tasteful, making the most of the openings in the songs with catchy guitar fills and never resorting to being, for lack of a better word, goofy (a frequent problem with bands in and around the "surf rock" genre).

Perhaps the most intriguing moment of the EP comes on closing track "In Your Bed Or On A Train."  With Manthey & Heinlein working up a rumble worthy of the titular train and White & Van Gieson working out some descending surf licks, Weinberg spins a tale of heartbreak & anger.  Poignantly, the chorus is a wordless one, consisting only of Weinberg cooing.  It's a clever move that brings the EP full circle from that use of open space on "Charlotte Manning."



While I sincerely recommend checking out Murder Shoes (available at Murder Shoes Bandcamp page), I can't wait to see where the future takes the band.  The members of Murder Shoes have been making music for a long time and, according to interviews, have a vast array of influences.  On this EP they seem to be pulling at the margins of the newly invented "Surf Noir" genre.  Enjoy it before they move on.

Murder Shoes is playing an album release show at the Red Stag Supperclub on May 3rd.  Probably ought to look into that too.