Shaven Primates are a five-piece dark wave and art rock band from Oxford who have been around since 2017. Yet, they’ve only just hit my radar courtesy of their second album release. Reflecting on the modern world, alternative thought, propaganda and conspiracies, it’s called Birds Aren’t Real.
By Graeme Smith
Birds Aren’t Real opens with Fade Away. A looping, echoing guitar rhythm is paired by driving bass in a classic dark rock style that fans of Pink Floyd or Tool will appreciate. The vocals are wonderfully expressive. They have a rough edge and are beautifully soulful. As we reach the track’s first chorus, the instrumentals become more epic, hitting a powerful crescendo. Lyrically it reflects on the rise of fascism, inspired by Louis Theroux’s interviews with alt-right social media figureheads. It’s a strong start.
A Decision brings us jazzy, off-kilter elegance. Its lyrics explore the real story of a suicide and feels suitably morose. Silicon Implants turns its lens back onto the wider world, exploring a range of topics, including Putin’s war in Ukraine, through a lively machine gun-esque punk rock arrangement. There’s a touch of vaudeville about it, reflecting the absurdity of the world it observes. Unmasked is introspective, telling contrasting stories of an autistic child and an autistic adult through dreamy, bittersweet rock that goes from soft to hard.
Title track Birds Aren’t Real closes the album. As you might guess from its title, it’s about conspiracy theories, inspired by the infamous idea that birds are simply robots placed to spy on the populace. There’s an unexpected Latin influence running through its jangly arrangement.
I review a lot of music on this blog so it’s always great to come across an album that’s truly unique. Birds Aren’t Real is that. Shaven Primates have taken a fresh approach to rock with it, giving us an impressive range of styles across the album’s five tracks, drawing from a myriad of classic influences. What’s most exciting, however, is the attention to detail and the importance of its lyrical stories. Shaven Primates are definitely up there as one of my new favourite bands. I hope they’ll be one of yours too.
You can listen to Birds Aren’t Real below.
