Coming from Ontario, Canada, Shore Thing are a unique and refreshing blend of folk, soul, and indie rock. With a rush of creative bands coming from the great north, Shore Thing stands out as a relevant mix of earnest but carefree talent. Their latest effort, the five song EP Outside Voices, shows a deep connection to nature as well as the human spirit. Band member Ben Goerzen describes the album this way; “we use three part vocal harmonies throughout our music to emphasize our lyrics about our relationship with the natural world around us.” With this approach and the unmistakable band chemistry that pours through Outside Voices, this band of bearded Canadians tread on the hallowed ground of acts such as The Avett Brothers, Fleet Foxes, Josh Ritter, and The Mountain Goats.
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Opener “Conversation” is the perfect tune for a lazy summer day and stands in joyful defiance of the distractions and busyness of life in the 21st century. Sung with a sympathetic voice, it is a slow moving song that champions the connection between two people minus a glowing screen. This theme is continued with “Outside of Time”, which plays more upbeat and is damn catchy. It is a gentle call for the listener to reflect and engage with the world around them.
“Woods & Water” could be mistaken for an Avett Brothers track with its country infused simplicity. “Come on and take me home” sings the group while rekindling the same desire within the listener to go back to something more familiar. Home is a popular image in “There I Find You” which plays out as a love song to Mother Nature and its entire splendor. It is a beautiful thing to find a song that transports you into the narrative being sung, but the band does just that in this well crafted tune complete with soaring harmonies.
“Some People” is an unexpected bluesy jam that shows the sharp range of the band sung with sped up lyrics and a groovy guitar jam. This album closer has a G Love type vibe going for it and shows just how talented these guys are. They soar past the folksy label and into a legit multi-tooled band to be reckoned with. The end result of these five songs is a refreshing debut from a group of extraordinary musicians that do just enough to play their ways into you ears and hearts.
You can pick up your own copy here. Kick back and enjoy!
