Shore thing - outside voices

Shore Thing

Outside Voices
self-released; 2014

3.9 out of 5

By Jamie Robash

Ontario, Canada’s Shore Thing are nature enthusiasts and fellow high school friends Wilson Hadfield, Jordan Nicolaides and Ben Goerzen who decided after meeting up after each of them had completed their undergraduate degrees that they could combine their different musical abilities to form a unique band. Both Hadfield and Nicolaides determined they could contribute their shared abilities of writing folksy songs with Goerzen coming into the band and adding a dimension as a classically trained musician and vocalist, with concentration on cello and piano. At first the three didn’t take the band too seriously. 

Although as they played live shows in various coffee houses and local bars, they began to notice that people in the crowd really liked the original spin they were putting on the classic cover songs that they were performing. As time went on and Shore Thing began adding their own original songs into their set, the crowd then just wanted to hear more original material. 

The first offering of new material is collected on their first five-song EP Outside Voices, which sees the addition of drummer Jarod Cardas to the band. The five songs on Outside Voices are at times folksy and others soulful and are all inspired in some way or another by nature. The album at once draws comparisons from latter day artists Crosby Stills and Nash, and Simon and Garfunkel, as well as to more recent artists like Beechwood Sparks. These comparisons are made based on the beautiful vocal harmonies employed. 

These harmonies are best expressed on the folksy and alt country style of the rambling opener “Conversation.” It is an excellent example of song craftsmanship, but what stands out mostly is how these four guys don’t rush anything and politely dance in and out of the forefront doing their piece and not getting in the way of any of the other members. “There I Find You,” is another good example of this polite dance, as each of the four members help to weave the song to life from beginning to end.  

In contrast the closer “Some People” a soul-inflected acoustic round seems quite out of place on the album and lacks the heart and ironically the soul of Outside Voices previous offerings. Though all in all Outside Voices is an overall really nice debut and I could see these guys really helping to jumpstart a DIY indie folk movement. 

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