Flying under the radar, Halifax's Share have quietly been building up to Slumping in Your Murals, a mature, roots-tinged pop achievement. Singer/guitarist Andrew Sisk possesses a unique perspective on instability, conjuring songs about unrest in a hazy voice that places Share somewhere between the Sea and Cake and Wintersleep. But there's a rural bent to his approach that works on a folk level — like songs sung around campfires backed by cinematic soundtracks. Just as something like "Date & Time" plays at pop sophistication, integrating a variety of sounds for something haunting, there are thoughtfully low-key moments like the Jenn Grant duet "Maybe Always," where hopefully forlorn voices are tucked in under a blanket of ambience provided by Share and the lap steel of guest Mike Feuerstack (Snailhouse). Overseen by In-Flight Safety's Daneil Ledwell, Murals has a rich murkiness that suits this latest line-up of an ever-shifting band, discovering their most effective configuration. Tastefully compelling, Share stand tall on this wondrous new record.
Share sound more cohesive here than on 2007's Pedestrian. Why?
Sisk: Share started as a recording project and, when we recorded Pedestrian, the image of it was complete in my mind beforehand. It was a documentation of something I'd been going through: travelling and a break-up. The concept and multiple-meanings of "pedestrian" were all there. With Slumping in Your Murals, it happened really organically. I started writing for this incarnation of the band and we knew what the songs were meant to sound like.
You sound more confident here.
I feel that this is the best thing we've done and I feel more confident for sure. I think I've grown a lot as a songwriter in the last two years. My favourite parts of this record are the performances by the band and the things that Dan added afterwards. I'm just really happy with it.
Does this record have a particular tone?
We chose these ten songs because they seemed to flow together. I was learning about a lot of things during the writing of it and astrology was one of them. Just this idea of destiny or things being bigger and broader — that tone is in every song and that was the mood. The feel comes from the players and Dan's production; he really added a lot of ambience as well.
(Forward)Share sound more cohesive here than on 2007's Pedestrian. Why?
Sisk: Share started as a recording project and, when we recorded Pedestrian, the image of it was complete in my mind beforehand. It was a documentation of something I'd been going through: travelling and a break-up. The concept and multiple-meanings of "pedestrian" were all there. With Slumping in Your Murals, it happened really organically. I started writing for this incarnation of the band and we knew what the songs were meant to sound like.
You sound more confident here.
I feel that this is the best thing we've done and I feel more confident for sure. I think I've grown a lot as a songwriter in the last two years. My favourite parts of this record are the performances by the band and the things that Dan added afterwards. I'm just really happy with it.
Does this record have a particular tone?
We chose these ten songs because they seemed to flow together. I was learning about a lot of things during the writing of it and astrology was one of them. Just this idea of destiny or things being bigger and broader — that tone is in every song and that was the mood. The feel comes from the players and Dan's production; he really added a lot of ambience as well.
