PREVIEW: Shame at The Sinclair September 7th
Of the various excellent European post-punk bands to have burst onto the scene in the past few years, few approach the sheer energy, enthusiasm, and quality of Shame. South Londoners Charlie Steen, Charlie Forbes, Josh Finerty, Sean Coyle-Smith, and Eddie Green were just teenagers when they founded Shame in 2014. They self-released an EP, Gone Fisting, later that year, and made a name for themselves touring the UK. They signed with independent American label Dead Oceans and released their debut Songs of Praise in early 2018, to critical acclaim and significant coverage in the British media.
Lead singer Steen’s lyrics are witty and his delivery is often bitter and angry, but on Songs of Praise it never sounded unpleasant. On the contrary, the album is incredibly fun and lively. Even though it was their debut album, they sounded completely comfortable in their sound, with a cohesion, consistency, and self-awareness built from years of touring together. Between the rousing, anthemic pop of “One Rizla,” the satisfyingly harsh “Dust on Trial,” and the slow-building ballad “Angie,” the band showed their versatility within the post-punk sound. However, even given this range, few anticipated the dramatic creative progression Shame would demonstrate with their sophomore effort.
After months and months of constant touring in support of Songs of Praise, Steen and guitarist Coyle-Smith both secluded themselves in their respective rooms to decompress, explore themselves, and work on the next project. The result of this period of reflection and isolation was Drunk Tank Pink, named for the paint on Steen’s walls. After Covid-related delays it was released in early 2021 to, once again, critical praise, as well as improved commercial success. On Drunk Tank Pink, the anxiety that had already been underlying in much of their music was elevated to center stage, with frenetic drums and even more dynamic vocals. Sometimes Steen talks, sometimes he belts, but he is always completely engaging. Though the album explores feelings of anger and loneliness, the band sounds completely united and connected. Their collective push into a new frontier only built further on their existing skillset as energetic performers, and the album sounds like it was perfectly crafted to be played to raucous crowds of passionate rock lovers.
On September 7th, Shame bring their electric passion to a fitting venue, The Sinclair. No modern touring acts match exactly what they bring to the table, and it would be a shame to miss what will surely be a wonderful show.