The Shop Window

Album Review

The State of Being Human

The Shop Window

reviewed by Old Indie Kid 

Release date: 25th June 2021 on Vinyl and CD and a later release date on digital platforms. 

Pre-order a physical copy today before they sell out

https://theshopwindow.bandcamp.com/

https://www.spinoutproductions.com/shop/

The State of Being Human is the debut album from Maidstone’s The Shop Window.  As a supporter of the band, and with Maidstone on my birth certificate, I’ve been entrusted with early access to the album. Whilst reviewing an album in depth means you play each track multiple times, I’m pleased to report that the  more I play it, the more I like it, and I’ve been spinning The State of Being Human like a Roberto Carlos free kick. 

The origins of the The Shop Wiindow can be traced back to 1990s band Westpier in which Carl Mann and Simon ‘Syd’ Oxlee once plied their trade.   They were label mates and still friends with Sleeper. After Westpier folded, Carl became an occasional Sleeperbloke and still plays with Sleeper from time to time. Carl spent many years overseas and lived in New Zealand for many years.  He played guitar on some of Kylie’s tours and even penned a Kylie b-side in 2000.

When Carl returned to Kent a few years ago he started a band with friends Phil Elphee on drums and Martin Corder on bass guitars and backing vocals.  They crafted some great songs and the group’s lineup was completed when Syd joined them on vocals and keys.  The Shop Window began releasing music in December 2019 with the free download of Christmas single Signpost On their Bandcamp site.  During the lockdown or what some clever wit recently dubbed, the Bandemic, The Shop Window tested the water and raised their profile in the new music scene with a string of well received singles and issued their debut 7”vinyl on DIY outfit Spinout Nuggets.

So that’s their potted history and now, after three decades, the moment has finally arrived when they release an album.  I was excited for this release so I can only imagine how the band are feeling.  Perhaps they are dreading the critical reviews from the darkest corners of the internet?  Fear not my Maidstonian Brethren, I have nothing but praise for the wonderful State of Being Human album.  I haven’t reviewed a full album in detail before so this is my debut album review of The Shop Window’s debut album. So let’s dive straight in to the first slice of delicious Jangle Cake.

Mannequin Lies

The Shop Window is the face you put on to the world whilst, your feelings are hidden beneath.  This was their first real single in April 2020.  The band are tight and and intricate jangling guitars and harmonies place this sonically in the late 80s early 90s period.  For someone who enjoyed the music of that period it will evoke nostalgia and there are reference points to other great bands that emerge from many of these songs.  Ultimately it sounds like The Shop Window to me as they have crafted a cohesive sound from their influences of past masters of jangly indie pop.  

Ride It (Whilst You Can) 

The second track opens with a stabbing piano before the chiming guitars return. The theme here is to live it whilst you can and don’t let anyone - especially yourself dissuade you from following your dream. As contemporary band The Shed Project put it “You only get one shot to live your life”.  This isn’t the cocky voice of youth singing “We’re gonna live forever” but a more mature reflections “don’t hang on regrets” and “don’t be guilty of broken dreams”.  The lyrics certainly resonate with us middle aged indie kids and the pulsating indie pop music drives it along.  

Out of Reach 

Imagine Ride playing Echo Beach from a helicopter while the world revolves at 45rpm. A quote so good I’ve revived it and embellished it for the album review.  This is a lockdown song, being trapped inside, lamenting the wasted days, weeks, months and missing the people and places that are out of reach during this pandemic.  The sense of loss for days that could have been. The repetition of another day inside are juxtaposed with the life affirming frantic indie guitar music.  Someone recently suggested that an album can be judged on the strength of track three. Well this bodes well for The State of Being Human. The awesome video won an award and is worth viewing.  

Break Down Walls 

This song has a lovely singalong vibe and echoes of The La’s.  It is a calmer moment that briefly slows the pace of the album. Break Down Walls is about reaching out and offering support to help another in need.  It continues the theme of breaking down the barriers that humans build around themselves.

Calling Out

There’s a little nod to Girls on Film by Duran Duran on this one. Or is it just me?  It opens with a baying crowd listening to a speech.  The imaged past can’t be recaptured and this song is calling out to embrace the future.  I doubt I’ld be too far off target to say it was written about Brexit but it could also be applied to other political issues.  It’s a calling for humans to come together, and change the current path we are taking and expose the liers who led us here. That’s my take on this song - it’s a political calling to rise up and do something unspecified to change the direction.  The mood is angry as befits a political song but it takes a wonderful musical shift towards optimism with one of my favourite moments on the album when The Shop Window go full “Vapour Trail” whilst calling on people to wake up and not to delay action.  As we know rebellions are built on hope.

Disengage The Robots 

Human connection is being reduced to brief interactions between the domination of technology that has crept into everyone’s lives. A parent’s concern that their child’s life will be dominated by their mobile devices.  I hear a sly nod towards Giorgio Moroder, and Together in Electric Dreams, which is rather appropriate. It is a sentiment I can relate to as I stream this album on one device whilst reviewing it on another.  

Flags

Side 2 of the album (I’m getting this on limited edition vinyl so it has two sides in my mind) opens with another uplifting protest song.  I’m guessing it could be nationalism but The Shop Window avoid preaching about specifics so it won’t date the song. “If they wave their flags for you I’ll raise mine higher and set it on fire”. The Shop Window urge the listener to act, “nail your colours to the mast” and refuse to be passive consumer of whatever’s been spoon-fed.  Like many of my favourite, er mature aged indie bands, they still have the fire in their bellies and fury about injustices.  The ever present jangly guitars are accompanied by a choir of backing vocals and some cheery Robert Smith style “do do do dos”.  

Evacuate

This was the song that first turned my attention to The Shop Window last year when MobyTanner featured it in one of his first Rebirth of Cool blogs.  It was released as a double A-side with Out of Reach in January as a perfect 7” vinyl.  The music sounds like it was made by a supergroup containing Teenage Fanclub, Ride and The Wedding Present.  Carl attributes the frantic pace with the origins of the song  being written to keep up with his son’s dance moves.  The themes on Evacuate stem from the anxiety of constantly moving “chasing jet streams”  and not setting down roots.  

2nd Book

A funky bassline with a Charlatans vibe.  There is some reverb or possibly reverse reverb? “On the second book of the trilogy of life”. Another song about embracing the reality of aging and seeing where it takes you rather than trying to relive your youth.

Sad Eyes

Continuing the themes of human connections, aging and reminiscing is previous single Sad Eyes written following Carl’s visit with Nana Shop Window.  This wasn’t originally intended for the album but maybe it’s popularity as a single and the themes fitted well with the rest of the album.

I Realise 

A love song about the dependency between a couple separated by distance.  The guitars are set to understated Johnny Marr.

Jack’s Lullaby

Ending the album on a beautiful instrumental track.  It does remind me of the softer moments on Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and The Shop Window even add sleigh bells to the mix and I’m a sucker for them.

So that concludes my track by track deep dive into the album.  I suggest you be quick about it if you want a copy on vinyl or CD.  You’ll be supporting the band, improving your record collection and you’ll get to hear it before the streamers.  Don’t be a Johnny-Come-Lately, splash your cash and reserve your copy of  2021’s jangliest album for your music collection. Capital idea! 

The advertising campaign alone is worthy of an award so kudus to whoever created these brilliant teaser videos.