Words by Jason Lee
Photo by Andrea Zeluck
The Shining Hours is one those well chosen names that fits the band in question like a mitten fits a kitten seeing as your typical Shining Hours’ tune has a relentlessly shimmering quality—just check out the opening strains of their most recent single “Feeling So Fine” and right away you’ll get the overall vibe…
…with sustained, bathed-in-reverb chords soon joined by peels of pollenated guitar whose melodic motifs echo David Tsai’s stately vocals like blue herons reflected in a koi pond (!) as his bandmates ladle on additional layers of gauzy sonics with the pedal-laden pyrotechnics of guitarist Joseph Peters and rock solid rhythm-a-ning of Bill Peluso and Manuel Patio on drums ‘n bass respectively as David contemplates how “you got me feeling so fine / and I can’t / stay out late” over an evocative melodic hook…
Photo by @wesleyandproductions
..and much like those lines, the lingering impression is one of a “fine feeling” but one felt at a dreamy remove (can’t stay out too late!) equal parts opaque and anthemic and when I asked the Shining Hours for some background info on the band and the single their response was an equally opaque, press-release style blurb about how TSH is an “alt-indie rock band from Brooklyn NY” (!) but hey that’s pretty savvy innit, retaining an air of mystery and all, but there was at least one informative quote (see below) on the band’s songwriting process so take it under consideration as you let the “Feeling So Fine” wash over you:
The songwriting process for the single started off with a synth demo clip (from a previous bassist in the group, Nando Pascual). The group then experimented at the studio together with ideas and the song naturally came together with a unique rock sound. The chorus melody came almost instantly with the lyrics and the rest of the song was formed around it. The track leans into the dreampop and shoegaze genres with influences from bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Lush, Gleemer, Airiel, Longwave, Smashing Pumpkins, Beach Fossils, and more.
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“Feeling So Fine” was produced and engineered by Alan J. Camlet and TJ Lipple. Artwork by David Tsai. This Saturday the Shining Hours play at Unruly Collective with Sara Devoe, Dotia, and No Big.