Posts Tagged ‘The Shifting Sands’

The SHIFTING SANDS – ” Run “

Posted: January 14, 2018 in MUSIC
Tags: , , ,
0

No automatic alt text available.

Mike McLeod booked studio time at Manny’s Estudio International in East Los Angeles. Far less glamorous in reality than it all may sound says Mike. Joining the Shifting Sands for the sessions was guest guitarist Steven Schayer – a then LA-based musician with NZ connections, having played in The Chills during the early 90’s US-based “Soft Bomb” album era.  Steven brought a different flavour to complement the independent DIY No. 8 wire approach of The Shifting Sands.

Manny Nieto also brought a different flavour to the table, producing the tracks. Manny has worked with Steve Albini and has recorded bands like the Breeders and Los Lobos.

Whereas previous albums had been layered in fuzzy guitars and synthesizers, this session involved less layers, but more harmonic breadth within the layers. Tom added bass tracks on an 8 string bass, Mike adding a bass 6 – a guitar tuned down one octave.

While there are less layers of harmonic distortion – a characteristic component of the Shifting Sands sound – there is still a lot of harmonic complexity, just realised in a different way to the approach the Shifting Sands took on their first two LPs. These songs reflect a special moment in time, in the sweltering heat of Los Angeles, while the band were far from their busy normal lives and able to spend time purely focused on making music, in a vastly different environment to their home town of Dunedin,

“Run” is one side of a new 7″ single from The Shifting Sands due for release late in January 2018.

http://

Band Members
Mike McLeod
Tom Bell
Jake Langley
Steven Marr

The SHIFTING SANDS – ” Zoe/ Run “

Posted: December 20, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , ,
0

Check out the Shifting Sands, the name of a psychedelic guitar-oriented rock band out of New Zealand and whose atmospheric sound is a bit reminiscent of Australian group the Church. Consisting of singer/guitarist Mike McLeod, bassist Tom Bell, drummer Jake Langley and guitarist Steve Marr, the Shifting Sands is one of bands who are part of the Dunedin Sound that emerged sometime in the early ‘80s in the university town of Dunedin in New Zealand.

The band released its debut album, Feel, in 2012; three years later, the Shifting Sands returned with Cosmic Radio Station. It is perhaps one of the most gorgeous-sounding albums you’ll hear these days . Its for fans of jangly guitar, pop melodies, and atmosphere,Cosmic Radio Station is nirvana from the almost anthemic “Waiting for the Sun” and gauzy-sounding “We All Fall Down,” through the driving and shimmering “Abstract Objects” and the moody Neil Young-like “Dreaming to Keep Awake.” A trio based at the legendary Chick’s Hotel at Port Chalmers near Dunedin, they create Southern symphonic psychedelia, alternating between slow lush lullabies and almost space-rock psychedelic noise songs.

The Shifting Sands present “Zoe”/”Run” as a classic 45 rpm 7″ single

http://

releases January 31st, 2018
The Band
Michael McLeod – Vocals, guitars
Tom Bell – Bass
Jake Langley – Drums
Steven Schayer – Guitars

Fishrider Records is a Dunedin, NZ record label specialising in psych-pop, no wave, post-punk, jangle & subversive DIY pop

The SHIFTING SANDS – ” Cosmic Radio Station “

Posted: September 29, 2016 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
Tags: , , ,
0

shifting-sands

Dunedin, New Zealand’s The Shifting Sands released their second album, Cosmic Radio, last year. It’s a record of gorgeous guitar pop that owes some to Dunedin’s indie rock heritage — The Clean’s David Kilgour plays guitar on the album — but forges its own path.
The Shifting Sands are going to be touring the U.S. soon and it’s a trip that was actually inspired/encouraged by Sharon Van Etten. She says, “I fell in love with The Shifting Sands music a while back, and while on tour in New Zealand last year, I met the band members who ran a venue called Chick’s Hotel in Dunedin (RIP). We became fast friends and stayed in touch and I encouraged them to make the trip to the US.”

http://