Everything James Fella touches seems to turn to un-mellow gold. Soft Shoulder are not an exception to that trend by any stretch, turning in two versions of “Von Guts” that sound different enough to justify the repeat. My kinda mind flashes right to Shearing Pinx when I hear riff-shanking rock with vocals echo-drenched as a canyon mouth, and Fella’s Gilgongo label has released some of ShxPx’s stuff, but I know in my heart there’s a lot more to Soft Shoulder than that. In addition to the side of them that acts like a super-lo-fi version of early Abe Vigoda or maybe Gay Beast/Arab On Radar, there’s a noise and garage-rock wrinkle that only shows up when they burst into a bridge without any mic-barking. Mostly, however, it’s that elusive angular post-hardcore/-Fugazi/-Black Eyes sound that still doesn’t have a proper genre tag (let’s do something about that, people, this is ridiculous) after all these years. When SS mash that “Von Guts”-proper riff into the ground like fish brains it’s like a pendant going back and forth in front of your eyes, hypnotizing you, leaving you ready to perform whatever task Fella asks of you. Don’t drink that Kool-Aid, friend.
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