If you have been following me for a while then you probably know about my connection to the unsigned California rock band, Shaimus. I used to play in a destined for failure basement band with the guitar player who is currently rocking with Shaimus, Evan Brown. So when the band has something to share with their fans I like to try and spread the word in any way that I can. Maybe it is not much but I try to share their goodies through this site here. If it turns just one person on to the band then I feel like I have done my part.
Today I want to share a sneak peak at their upcoming music video. In an e-mail to their fans yesterday Shaimus shared a link to their latest music video, and as always, I like it. So I hope you enjoy it as well.
To get more information on Shaimus click here to visit their official website. There you can get a free music download, check out photos of their tour, and find links to their store.
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New Shaimus video - a documentary type video looking at the making of The Sad Thing Is, We Like It Here. 3.21.2009
Just thought I would help spread the word about this. Regular readers may know that I have become a fan of Shaimus, mainly due to my old partnership with guitarist Evan Brown (still with the group) in a previous band (though not in this classic).
Anyway I don't know exactly how many guitar players read this but if by some chance the next great guitar player comes from reading this site, at least I'll have that going for me. If you are interested you can visit their website for more details.
For those of you who periodically stop by looking for more Shaimus stuff, rejoice! The band put out a video this week documenting the making of their latest album, The Sad Thing Is, We Like It Here. The video was originally posted on the band's official blog, Shaimus - Blogjammin'.
Yesterday I posted my review of the new Shaimus album, The Sad Thing Is, We Like It Here. Be sure to check it out. In my review I quoted guitarist Evan Brown. He was kind enough to answer a few questions for me as I wrote up the review, but I left out a few responses he gave me.
Brown believes that the new album is a big stepping stone for Shaimus as they have really come together and found their defining sound. For those wondering if Shaimus will be heard in a future video game though, Brown kept hush hush.
As this is the second Shaimus release, what do you feel is the biggest improvement over Paper Sun (Shaimus' debut album)? Easily the biggest improvement over Paper Sun is that this was more of a full-band effort. We were still in our formative stages as a band while recording Paper Sun, and as a result we didn't quite have our sound together yet and much of the album sounds more like Phil [Beaudreau] and a backing band. This album is 100% Shaimus and really defines our true sound as a band.
When people listen to the album, what do you want them to think after hearing it? Ideally, I'd like them to think it was the best album they've heard in a long time and that they'd like to immediately start listening again! More generally, though, I hope people feel like they've just been taken on a musical journey and experienced something more than just listening to 10 songs they hadn't heard before.
How has the feedback been so far since the release? Feedback has been great. Many people are hearing that we're starting to come into our own as a band now, and that's encouraging. All you can hope for is that people "get" what you were going for and that listeners can at least partially appreciate the inordinate amount of work that goes into making an album. Actually, that's not totally true--all I really hope for is that people listen and say "this is good." The rest is just icing on the cake.
What is your favorite part of the album? Is there one song that sticks out to you? My favorite song on the album is "While We're Young." We wrote and arranged that song while we were on tour in 2006, and the whole thing started coming together while we were rehearsing in Cam's garage in Seattle. The opening chord still makes me start sweating sometimes, remembering how humid it was in that little room. I was looking forward to hearing the recorded version of that song more than any other, and I wasn't disappointed. I think it turned into something really cool, and the song sets more of a mood than just about anything else we've done.
What's next for the group? Tour? Local gigs? Any video game news or early plans for the next album? In our immediate future is the CD release party on March 4th in L.A. [link] We have some things in the pipeline for the rest of the year, but some goals include doing some more touring (most likely sticking to the West Coast) and continuing to shop ourselves around to labels and publishers and such. Our big goal for the year is to get heard by as many people as possible, so anything that helps us achieve that we are open to. As for video games, well I actually can't really talk about that. There may or may not be something in the near future.
Fans of Guitar Hero may be familiar with a Los Angeles based band by the name of Shaimus. All of This, off of their debut album (Paper Sun), was one of the unlockable songs in the early versions of the video game iteration of air guitar.
Wanna be musicians who spend their time playing Rock Band 2 will hear a familiar sound with Like A Fool in the form of a free download. The song is part of the latest release from the up and coming band from the west coast, The Sad Thing Is, We Like It Here. Truth is, there is nothing to be sad about with the second installment in the young band's discography.
The alternative rock band hails from Boston and has come a long way in a short amount of time. I have listened to Paper Sun numerous times since its release and have listened to The Sad Thing Is, We Like It Here enough times to have noticed the progression of the style of the group. When you listen to the songs you feel like you are listening to a band that has been around for a while, one that knows who they are and where they want to go.
"Easily the biggest improvement over Paper Sun is that this was more of a full-band effort," says Shaimus guitarist Evan Brown. "We were still in our formative stages as a band while recording Paper Sun, and as a result we didn't quite have our sound together yet and much of the album sounds more like Phil [Beaudreau] and a backing band."
There is something familiar about that sound, but at the same time it is refreshing in this world of pop music. Everything is catchy and you will find yourself humming Turn the Other Way as fast as you can actually turn the other way. I know I did.
Below is a music video for Turn the Other Way...
To say that Shaimus is everything that is right about music would be an understatement. These five guys love what they are doing and it shows. All of the songs were written by the group as a whole. The band also takes the credit for producing the album.
"This album is 100% Shaimus and really defines our true sound as a band," says Brown.
Do you have $10? If so and you are looking for a new band to check out, buy this album. Not only will you be adding a fine CD to your music library but when the final track finishes you might just find yourself cheering on for Shaimus at the end and hoping they stick around.
------------------------------------------------- Artist: Shaimus (website) Album: The Sad Thing Is, We Like It Here (link) Where to Download: iTunes, Amazon
