The Shining
True Skies

(Zuma/Epic)

First Appeared in The Music Box, March 2003, Volume 10, #3

Written by John Metzger

Following the collapse of The Verve, founding bass player Simon Jones and guitarist Simon Tong joined forces with former Stone Roses’ guitarist John Squire to form The Shining. Squire didn’t stay very long — he was replaced by Dan MacBean — and although his presence is felt throughout the band’s debut True Skies, it’s often too little, too late. Most notable is Quicksilver, which not only opens but also closes the album. Here, the music thrashes wildly amidst the swirling maelstrom of drums, guitar, and bass, sounding like a Led Zeppelin-powered rave.

Unfortunately, however, the highlights are few and far between as the rest of True Skies is filled with fairly standard fare. Even worse, there are moments when one imagines that things might turn more interesting, such as the Strawberry Fields Forever-meets-The Wheel intro to I Am the One, the Squeeze-like Danger, or the slow-burn, space-age groove of Until the End. But just when one’s curiosity is peaked, the songs mutate into something far more straightforward. In other words, True Skies is crammed with teases of The Shining’s potential, but ultimately comes off as a lightweight blend of The Verve and Oasis.

Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2003 The Music Box