SHEARER from Berlin have accompanied me since the band's founding. Back then, Reimi (ex-Heilige Drei Könige) was still part of it. First on drums, then briefly on vocals, and then he left the band. I still have a CD from those early days. In the beginning, SHEARER played snotty kick-ass rock with melodies that really pushed forward. The distinctive voice of the singer (whose name I can't seem to recall at the moment) contributed to making the band quite well-known in Berlin fairly quickly. They played as support for U.K. Subs and The Vibrators back then.
That was quite a few years ago now. With “Duck on Cover,” the band's fourth album is now being released. A lot has happened since then. Even though I've seen SHEARER from time to time in recent years, I must say that I don't like them as much as I did in the early days. The pressure was gone; it was just rock. Certainly ambitious and heartfelt, but it felt too little for me.
So now, “Duck on Cover” - Rock Inside, as it says on the CD.
It is indeed rock. And after the first song, the band actually finds the gas pedal to shift into third gear. It's a good recording that does justice to the band. SHEARER did the recordings and mixing themselves. They know what they're doing, meaning they know what their music needs to sound good.
There’s nothing to complain about in terms of craftsmanship, but what I miss is the spark that needs to jump to make this album good.
The 12 songs play along in the background. The sound has its rough edges, but everything is within a certain framework. That might be enough for the average rock consumer. Personally, it's too little for me.
Nevertheless, SHEARER will reach many people with this album again. The album can be downloaded for free from the band's homepage or purchased physically for a fair 7 €.
