Shook Foil - I Feel No Pain

In the local music universe, three years is an eternity, so imagine my surprise and delight when I received an email from indie rockers Shook Foil asking if we’d be willing to stream their new EP, I Feel No Pain. From 2009 to 2013, when the group was an active entity in Atlanta, they were writing some of the most polished and dynamic indie rock and pop in the city, a fertile period of creativity which culminated with their 2013 LP, The Tethered Life. When they unceremoniously disappeared from the scene, I figured they had simply fizzled out like the vast multitude of artists before them. But as it turns out, they were just on an extremely extended hiatus as various members sorted out their personal lives, got married, or, as was the case with bassist Gabe Seibel, took a year off to hike the Appalachian Trail.

I’m not sure what I was expecting from the group’s first collection of songs in three years, but I’ll gladly report that the time off hasn’t dulled their appetite for shaping classic hooks out of wide assortment of musical backdrops. Lead track “Good Lord (I Feel No Pain)” is a hybrid Southern hymnal built around expressive lap steel and semi-tropical rhythms that echo palm trees and warm sunsets as much as they do magnolias and cool evenings spent on the front porch. Like all of Shook Foil’s finest moments, it’s a song that requires patience and a willingness to dig deeper; for every outward melody, there are a half-dozen tones and textures floating below the surface, each one worth teasing out and exploring.

Meanwhile, “Silly Things” glides somberly along over a steady thumping bass and the soft swell of an organ. Here, the group abandons their penchant for breezy California pop melodies for an elegiac sound wrapped in plaintive guitars and soulful harmonies. It’s an understated track that relies more on atmosphere and nuance than the detailed sonic dioramas we’ve grown accustomed to hearing from the group, but the band proves worthy of the task; it’s surely the most striking song on the EP.

I Feel No Pain closes with the jaunty “Thought I Knew,” a song that seems to tap into a majority of the many inlets leading to the group’s reservoir of sound. There’s a heavy dose of expansive ’70s rock, hints of modern psychedelic rock, some sunny ’60s folk, and a glimmer of ’90s college rock. At times it feels disjointed, like the group has latched themselves to too many ideas and they’re struggling to keep them tied together. But even when Shook Foil stumbles, it’s worth waiting for the moment they catch their footing and right the ship.

Craftsmanship is an undervalued skill, especially in indie rock where stylization and emotional resonance often win the day. But it’s refreshing to hear a band that not only minds the details, but take pride in polishing and refining them. It will be interesting to see to where Shook Foil go from here — whether they’ll play out consistently and continue to write new music. For now, though, it’s enough to know that they’re back, and that their songwriting remains as sharp and proficient as ever.

Shook Foil will perform on Friday, June 17 at Mammal Gallery. Supporting them will be Oak House, Doc Aquatic, and Psymon Spine. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission TBA.

More Info
Bandcamp: shookfoil.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @shookfoil
SoundCloud: @shookfoilmusic
Twitter: @dearshook