Comprised of Michael Beach (guitar, vocals), Adam Camilleri (bass) and Peter Warden (drums), the trio of Shovels are split between Melbourne, Australia and San Francisco and with the the release of their self-titled debut, the band has received international attention for a sound that channels The Church and Nirvana – although chugging and abrasive there’s an atmospheric art rock sheen to a song like “Car Yards” as clanging and chiming guitars are paired with ominously throbbing bass, frenetic drum rolls and howled vocals that expresses bitterly held observations of human nature that seem to plague us as a species. Throughout the song, there’s a tension between taut structure and slowly devolving in chaos.
The band will be on an extensive American tour throughout the end of this month through June and it’ll include two June stops in NYC – June 16 at King’s County Saloon and June 17 at Cake Shop.
