The problem with Shellshag’s career defining high light Shellshag Forever is that because the duo are a somewhat self-effacing two prong rock and lo-fi band, Shellshag Forever will get dismissed as good but so what? It doesn’t change the world, it doesn’t even change their world. Ten perfectly crafted rock songs with just strum and drums and the twosome, Jennifer Shagawat and John "Shellhead" Driver. Strumming and drumming. Live, they are as obstreperous as you might expect from a Don Giovanni Records band and on record, they fill in the spaces with an airier sound.
I’ve seen them many times and reviewed them quite a few times as well. And always with pleasure But not with the sense of suspended disbelief Forever provokes. Sure, their last album had “Resilient Bastard”, a hard rocking sinker ball, and no Forever doesn’t have that. What Forever has is one excellent song. Lo Fi, long time lovers now in their 40s, looking forward and looking towards a lifetime together, doing this forever.
And they will because they have reached that place where they can write simple, beautiful song after simple, beautiful song. The standard here doesn’t falter for a moment, a brisk 30 set of wonderful timeless pop music about the two lovers and their friends. About doing what they do. And sharing it with an audience of like minded friends.
It is one of those albums where you keep expecting there to be a slack off in the writing and about by the time you get to “Wasted Imagination” you realize it isn’t going to happen. Just after the song is “Medley” with a shout of “hey ho let’s go” the loudest moment, just before the song is the up against the wall railing against hypocrisy personal best “Driving Song”.
From such a strong center, the album maintains its perfect equilibrium in both directions, opening track “Face To Face” is a musical, a lovely musical, transmogrification of the mic stand hey use where the couple do indeed sing directly opposite each other.
In some ways, Shell Shag are a folkie indie DIY iteration of Yo La Tengo, an exciting exploration of love and monogamy, strength through love and friendship. A clear eyed view of love and how love can bring you through to the other side.
The songs on Forever, much more than their other albums, if only because practice makes perfect, are ACCORDS. They reflect things being in tempo and in harmony. There is no faltering, no real doubt, and it seems to reflect a happy well lived life in the arts community in which the duo are free to do it their way.
I find it all very moving and very moving. Good but so what? Good but graceful? Good but giving? Good but what else is there?
Grade: A