Shiny and the Spoon’s Ferris Wheel is another success story for Kickstarter, the project funding website enabled the band to raise the cash to record, mix, master and release their debut full length album whilst rewarding their fans at the same time, Ferris Wheel is the follow up to their self titled EP I had the pleasure of listening and writing a few words about last summer.
I’m pleased to say the new release is more of the same from Amber Nash (vocals, ukulele) and Jordan Neff (vocals, guitar) who have added Pete Brown on upright bass to become a trio, this time around we are treated to thirteen tracks, eleven written by Nash and Neff, No Holes in My Head written by Malvina Reynolds and a cover of Take on Me the eighties music video game changer from A-Ha one of the band’s favourite cover tracks, the covers however fail to out shine the bands originals which are both engaging and literate. The trio are joined in the studio by Matt Frazer on percussion, Kathy Woods on fiddle, Mark Utley upright bass and harmony vocals, Bob Donisi on upright bass, Rockne Riddlebarger on dobro and the North College Hill Elementary 4th Graders who provide the back-up vocals on Take on Me.
The EP was a home recorded affair, this time around the album benefits from studio production and it’s a little more refined, a little slicker but manages to hold on to the essence of the debut release and has a relaxed and loose feel with the arrangements and production never crowding out the vocals and harmonies.
Shiny and the Spoon – Ferris Wheel
Download at Bandcamp and iTunes
Connect at Facebook
