Customer Reviews

Shades Apart

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm not usually compelled to write reviews on here, but the lack of anything resembling a decent review for this album as well as its obscurity made me compelled to do so. Anyway, I got this CD at some point in the early '90s and played it all the time back then. It's a combination of their self-titled 1988 Lp on Wishing Well and a 6-song 12" EP they put out a few years later on the Sunspot label called Dude Danger. For those who only know Shades Apart from their cover of "Tainted Love" or their later alternative rock radio hits "Valentine" and "Stranger by the Day", they'll be shocked at this and would barely recognize it as the work of the same band. This is melodic hardcore punk that's similar to what was then (though definitely not now) known as emo-core. If you think of a mix of Wig Out at Denko's-era Dag Nasty, Descendents, Grippe-era Jawbox or perhaps most of all, Reason to Believe, you'll be in the right ballpark. If you're a fan of any of these bands/albums and you've never heard this, you need this album. Songs like "On the Inside," "Black and White," "Shadow of a Cross" and "Cold War" are, in my mind, at least, classics of the era. It's way out-of-print, as evidenced by the prices on here, but some creative Google searching will at least let you sample it if you get my drift. If you do spend the big bucks, though, you'll be very much rewarded if you like the style.

The only drawback I can think of is given the material's age, it could sorely use a remastering or perhaps, the s/t Lp and Dude Danger could be re-issued as separate records and in limited runs on vinyl. The levels on the "Dude Danger" tracks are particularly low and you really have to turn it up to hear the music well.

I've also heard that they recently reunited for a show at New Brunswick's Court Tavern. I saw them more times than I can count in the early to mid '90s and they always put on a good show, so I'd love to see them again. News of this reunion is what made me dig this out and boy has it stood the test of time well!

This cd kicks .... It is so awesome. You have to buy this cd.

i am shades apart from the rest but lemme tell you this cd is the best....i laughed i cried i got fried to this cd. i never knew there could be anything better to listen to than the beloved musak but let me tell you ive found it.

Hey people do not get this Cd its sorry. Get their new cd called eyewitness it gets 5 stars.