Food For Worms

Description

Shame presents Food for Worms, their explosive third album on Dead Oceans. If Songs of Praise was fueled by alcoholic teenage vitriol, Drunk Tank Pink delved into another type of intensity. Wading through uncharted musical waters, emboldened by their spirit and well-earned cynicism, they created something with the abandon of a band that had nothing to lose. After forcefully navigating the identity crisis of their second album, they finally arrive at a hard-won maturity. Enter Food for Worms, which, according to singer Charlie Steen, is "the Lamborghini of Shame's records." It marks a shift in sound from everything they've done before, abandoning their post-punk beginnings for more eclectic influences, drawing from the tense atmospheres of Merchandise, the sharp yet stripped-down lyrics of Lou Reed, and the more melodic works of the German band from the 90s, Blumfeld. For the first time, the band is not aiming for introspection but seeks to capture the world around them. They enlisted the renowned producer Flood (Nick Cave, U2, PJ Harvey, Foals) to bring their vision to life. Recording each track live was a kind of surrender: here, the rough edges give texture to the album; mistakes are more interesting than perfection. The band embraces and welcomes its fragility, thus tapping into a new source of strength and courage. In many ways, the album is an ode to friendship and an illustration of the dynamic that only five people who grew up together and became so close, against all odds, can share.