Showing ample wit, and a genre-hopping from singer/songwriter introspection to bluesy rock howls, Shelf Life is the new album from Massachusetts-based band Waxy Shellac and the Tasteless Apples. As they themselves explain, there’s “There’s something for everyone on this album,” — “from quirky social commentary about high maintenance women and prescription drug side effects, to political allegories and cautionary tales, progressive rock intro songs, and sincere love ballads.”
“You’re my prescription pill,” Fred Meltzer’s vocals let out with debonair effect amidst bluesy guitars on the opening “Prescription Pill.” The lyrical questioning — “do you have swollen arms? are you gaining weight?” — escalate with captivation into the title-referencing clamoring. The antidote of a loved one’s presence proves rousing on this enjoyable opener, and the subsequent “Hard To Love” continues that engaging flair. “I make a point in conversation that I’m hard to love,” the vocals warn, enamoring with suave rock musings on people’s various complexities — and high maintenance personality types, in particular.
Humorous, poignant wit is evident throughout. “I have a threesome with my baby and her iPhone; it’s better than being alone,” is among the entrancements on “Threesome.” A more spoken-word narrative compels on “Chorus Comes Along,” with its music-minded lyrics joining with an organ-laden warmness in the replay-inducing, title-touting chorus. Closing the album, an eerie guitar crawl leads on “History Repeats Itself,” reminding those who turn an eye to hatred/racism that they could very well be next. Relevant political commentary, love songs, and gripping rockers alike stir on this stellar album from Waxy Shellac and the Tasteless Apples.
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“”Chorus Comes Along” and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.
