SHIFT
 |
| 1994 |
1995
 |
| 1998 |
1997
 |
| Turnbuckle demo |
Tracklist
| A1 |
|
No Avail
|
|
|
| A2 |
|
Trudge
|
|
|
| A3 |
|
Open Wounds
|
Turnbuckle demo Recorded Live at Don Fury Studios
biography
[+]
by Brian Raftery
Though often associated with the New York City hardcore scene of the mid-'90s, Shift
never quite fit in with their contemporaries, and were more apt to play
a ballad than to kick over a mic stand. Their sound fuses complex time
changes and manic break-outs with blatant pop sensibilities; a
combination which won them a loyal underground audience, culminating in a
jump to a major label in 1997. Originally formed in their native New
York by singer/guitarist Joshua Loucka, bassist Brandon Simpson, and drummer Samantha Maloney, Shift went the DIY route, playing shows whenever possible and recording an EP, Pathos (1994), and a full-length album, Spacesuit
(1995), on indie label Equal Vision Records. While Loucka's monotone
voice could grow tiresome at times, both releases showed a firm grasp on
the heavier and lighter elements of rock, a combination best realized
on Spacesuit's "Dress Up," which veers from ballad to rocker with astonishing ease. Even in such a competitive scene, Shift stood out, and in 1997 were signed to Columbia Records. With the addition of guitarist Mark Holcomb,
the band evened out their sound (the multi-layer guitar work on their
first albums was never quite realized in concert), they released Get In in the fall of that year, and continued to tour aggressively.
read more
