When I reviewed this CD back in 2005, I referred to it as "something I'll hold onto for a rainy day." Well, that rainy day came recently, as I popped this album in the stereo and was pleasantly surprised by how well it holds up. In fact, I was immediately stricken—during opener "The Golden Boy," no less—with the thought that, "Damn, this band could've been pretty huge..." The disc even stayed in my listening rotation for a couple of weeks!
There's a definite Radiohead-ishness to Shelby's beautifully-produced lush, moody, pop-tinged alternative rock with loads of pulsing basslines and just the right amount of catchiness. The material achieves a nice balance between slower-paced atmospheric elements and bright, energetic bursts. I'd have to assume that they were drawing predominantly from influences that are beyond my realm of experience, but that's fine by me: I simply like what I like.
The band was apparently working on new music as recently as 2012, but I haven't been able to dig up anything beyond The Luxury of Time, so... who knows? In any case, if you're into streaming (yuck) you can find the album on Spotify, or grab the CD for cheap from Amazon or Discogs. I'm certainly glad that I held onto my copy over the years...
