The Shivas- Where have you gone to?
(World in Sound WIS 3004)
The Shivas- Where have you gone to?
(World in Sound WIS 3004)
From Aural Innovations #39 (May 2008)
The Shivas are a very young new band from Vancouver, Washington who live
in the late 60’s! The CD features 13 tracks in 69 minutes. Pretty much
all the songs are written by singer and guitarist Jarid. The CD begins with
the title track, which is a really great song, just under 6 minutes with some
nice jamming with guitar and djembe. Peele’s Parfume Garden is another
over 6 minute track with a bit of a stoned surf kind of riff and some nice organ
and a bit of Syd Barrett like guitar at times and some stoned vocals. The Ballad
of Grant Whitney starts with some people talking first in German but then in
Danish! Wow… This is a more organ based track and a really cool one as
well. A lot of variety and styles on this CD and we are only on the third track.
The vocal is very Dylan like. Big Man is a uptempo 60’s rocker with a
cool groove. Love features the acoustic guitar and a heavy bass and those airy
60’s style psychedelic vocals. Mr. Marmalade has a stoney groove and laid
back nature and Jarid has plenty of time and space for some nice guitar. Butter
Sun is a laid back 8 minute track that reminds me of old Pink Floyd (69-71 era). Sunny Afternoon features some nice acoustic guitar picking. Flying High
and The War song and Ode to a Tea Set are all more acoustic laid back tracks
but a nice mixture of Syd Barrett and Dylan. Doctor Doctor brings back the psychedelic
rock and this one is totally like the Doors. The organ sound and playing as
well as the guitar and the singing as well. A long lost Doors track from 1967?
The CD ends with Sit Anywhere and is a 9 minute track with very basic sitar playing and
a more psychedelic mix on the vocals than any other track. A long strange trip
indeed. A great debut CD. If this record had been mixed in a more psychedelic
fashion and had some really cool creative and not so boring artwork it could
have turned out into an all time classic psychedelic rock record but it still
is great stuff.
Check out the record label web site at:http://www.worldinsound.com
Check out the band web site at: http://www.theshivas.com
Reviewed by Scott Heller