Shearwater - The Dissolving Room - Grey Flat Records

Review by: Jennifer Perkins

Alternative Country is not typically my thing, I guess that is what you would call this. However, when I first played Shearwater I was pleasantly surprised. This CD has a very mild temperament and is quite soothing, something I look for these days. Shearwater's The Dissolving Room is one of the more eclectic and distinguishable sounding discs my CD player has spun in a good long while.

Now given, I am not all that familiar with alternative country or folk music. Just because I live in Texas does not make me a guru of either one of these genera's. It's not everyday I put on a CD that includes a violin, pedal steel, accordion, banjo, piano, string bass, and glockenspiel (whatever that is). Let alone like it. These songs are quirky and slow. The whole CD has a real atmosphere to it. There are moments when I am reminded of Neil Young or even early Mazzy Star stylistically and others when Camden comes to mind vocally. It seems a rare thing in Indie music when you happen upon someone who can actually sing.

Shearwater is a side project for Austin's Okkervil River and Kingfisher. The songs are sparse and drowsy sounding. My favorites include the first track "Mulholland" with it's crooning and sentimental vocals. It's one of those slow songs that makes my heart hurt. Another star on Shearwater's Christmas Tree is "Ella is the First Rider" which is a slow quite number accented with a plucky banjo and hushed vocals.

I have been recommending Shearwater to everyone that will listen to me, and you my dear reader are no exception. Consider this your very high recommendation.

Read a review of Shearwater's Everyboy Makes Mistakes here.

Read where Shearwater got their name from here.

Read where Grey Flat Records got their name from here.

Read a review of Okkervil River here.