Search - Shades Apart :: Seeing Things

Revelation: 57 In some parallel universe, if Molly Ringwald had been cast in the Mad Max movies, Shades Apart would be the perfect soundtrack. Raised in a decade defined by John Hughes movies, bubblegum pop and escalating nuclear arms, the members of Shades Apart shared a passion for bands from the first wave of punk's invasion (energetic lads like the Jam, the Police, Generation X, and the Clash). Shades Apart's new record, Seeing Things, taps these sources to deliver a modern fusion of pop, punk and new wave. The single from their previous record, a uranium-fueled cover of the synth classic "Tainted Love", received loads of commercial radio airplay last year and eventually turned up on MTV. Not bad for three suburban-bred New Jersey-ites who started playing for something to do during summer vacations. Shades Apart released their debut album in December 1988 on Wishingwell Records, a chiefly straight-edge hardcore label based in California. Two EPs followed: Dude Danger on Sunspot Records and Neon on Skene Records, which caught the ear of Descendents leader Bill Stevenson. Shades Apart jumped at the chance to work with their proto-punk icon, and Mr. Stevenson (along with bandmate Stephen Egerton) became the producer of their next LP. 1995's Save It was the product of that union. The band found a new home on Revelation Records and toured North America several times in the next year, converting legions of new fans and garnering critical praise along the way. Seeing Things is the newest release, again brought to us by the production team of Stevenson/Egerton and again on Revelation Records. Whereas Save It was a 200 beat-per-minute articulation of pent-up anger and frustration, Seeing Things is not quite so fast and furious. The band maintains an overriding power and genuine emotion, but there's also a more melodic edge, reminiscent of writers like Joe Jackson or Squeeze. "We heard a difference between today's songwriting and the songs we grew up listening to," explains vocalist/guitarist Mark. "We wanted to write stuff of that caliber, but rev up the energy level". Loaded with poppy, introspective hits for the proverbial Thinking Man (and Woman), Seeing Things is no lite fare. It's a record of personal searching and realization in the postmodern era, with a snappy beat you can dance to.