Shield Your Eyes (Function Records)

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“What sets Shield Your Eyes apart from their peers is their ability to keep things interesting”
– Drowned In Sound

Theme From Kindness is the new album from the prolific, London-based Shield Your Eyes. In a logical progression from their self-titled debut Run For Your Life and follow-up to Shield 'Em, the band decided to take their DIY aesthetic to another level by recording and mixing in new bass player Nick Bavin’s living room over a single weekend in January 2010. The rawness and intimacy of the sound and the sheer energy of the performances come closer than ever to conveying the live shows of this unique and highly inventive group.

Shield Your Eyes have refined their sound and line-up over the years, with core members Stef Ketteringham (guitar / vocals) and Henri Grimes (drums) joined by Nick (bass). The band’s raucous and live shows have dazzled their peers, who have witnessed the growth of a band cultivating an inimitable and special sound. With forthcoming UK and European tours, Shield Your Eyes are set to leave plenty of audiences dazed and awed in the near future.

The diversity of this album is highlighted in the very first song, "I Took My Lead From You and Your Kindness", which was rendered on mandolin, acoustic guitar, harmonica, organ and Nick’s cat! This gives the listener a preview of what’s to come. The familiar Shield Your Eyes trademarks are there, as Stef’s abrasive but soulful guitar and vocal lines pinned to Henri’s strafing drum parts come to the fore. The band take you on a journey from the mind-bogglingly rhythmic "Oliver’s Wharf" and "Too Little Has Been Good for the Soul", to the melancholic contemplation of "Aves" and the chopped up acoustic strumming of "Drawn to Water".

Whist Shield Your Eyes can be shockingly contemporary and avant-garde in their approach, this is always tempered by an endearing warmth, a strong awareness of song-craft, and an ability to pack their music full of memorable hooks without coming across as trite or forced. Theme From Kindness is one of those rare records which manages to thoroughly challenge the listener and smash all sorts of paradigms, whilst still maintaining a sense of inclusiveness and an utter sincerity.