At times reminiscent of the Cure in its most pop-driven moments, at other times recalling Rilo Kilo at its most infectious, Austin, Texas-based dream pop outfit Shy Beast delivers its hook-laden self-titled debut EP on Friday, 17 November. The three-song collection shows remarkable diversity despite its brevity.
Opener “Back With Me” captures the ear and the imagination with subtle guitar lines and powerhouse performances from vocalist Mariclaire Glaeser. Joined by bassist Jay Cesak, drummer Drew Silverman and guitarists David Tencza and Andrew Bennett (who adds keyboards), Glaeser takes us to deeper, more mysterious terrain with the recording’s middle child, the psych- and soul-tinged “Forever”. Said soulfulness also reveals itself via the closing “For Now”, a moody slice of heaven that recalls the glory days of the New Romantics as often as it rubs elbows with more contemporary sounds such as Tame Impala.
Initially formed in 2013 under the name MCG, the band’s transformation into Shy Beast in 2017 has left its artistry unscathed and its enthusiasm intact. Glaeser offered this, “We’re glad that the EP is finally here. We put a lot of hard work and creative mind-melding into these songs, and we’re very proud of the results. We hope you enjoy this first offering because there is plenty more on the way.”