By DAVID MATTESON
In the rock band’s first effort, Shirock’s Everything Burns is a social commentary as well as an attempt to imitate past rock groups, like Coldplay or The All American-Rejects.
The lead singer, Chuck Shirock, has a voice similar to Brandon Flowers, but he lacks the range and talent of The Killer’s lead singer. Even in the album’s opening anthem “New Solution” the vocals are no match for Flowers. The songs themselves strive to have a social message to inspire listeners to move to action. In the intro to the title track, the band moralizes that one should “love people and use things” because “people, they say last forever, everything else just burns.” In these moments Shirock comes off as preaching, and since the target audience is high school students, it is unlikely that anyone will truly embrace these moral views.
In “I’ll Take Rain” the band features the unimpressive female vocals of Pap Shirock, whose voice is flat and dull. Her voice is better suited for back up vocals, which she provides in “New Solution” and “Still Young.”
The album does have its talented moments; for example “Drag You Down” is an uplifting spiritual melody that sounds similar to Coldplay’s “Fix You.” While his vocals are weak throughout the album, the lead singer is a skilled pianist and demonstrates this in “Man Inside.” Overall, Shirock’s album is just another indie rock album that is sure to be forgotten. One out of Five Stars
Everything Burns
Shirock
Produced By Shirock & The Movement Group