Shearwater - Immaculate

A belated thanks to Shearwater for a terrific show this Saturday night at the Media Club here in Vancouver. It was the best show I've seen in years, but I don't get out much so take that for what it's worth.

I complain about the sound quality at live venues even more than I complain about the sound quality of modern albums, but the Media Club had better overall sound than the last show I attended -- British Sea Power at the Biltmore -- and the drums sounded great, even if some of the subtleties were lost on quieter numbers like "Castaways".

The high-tempo single "You As You Were" got quite a reaction from the crowd, as did the hard-rocking number "Immaculate" which, coincidentally, has new official video. This is probably the most accessible, mainstream-friendly track the band has ever recorded -- not that that's a bad thing -- so hopefully this single will help the band play in a bigger venue next time. A sold-out show at the Commodore Ballroom is the least they deserve.