Shook Foil
Little Significance EP
Atlanta, GA
(Self-released)
“Gold Foil”
Whether Shook Foil’s intricate interplay of styles is intentional or not, the results are undeniably impressive. Upon first listen, Little Significance seems to fit the mold of accessible, contemporary indie rock: Aaron Hodgins’ Polyphonic Spree-like vocals, jangly bright guitars, and the slightly detached haze of a Fleet Foxes.
What makes Little Significance so interesting, though, is how their genre mash-ups don’t sound like a mash-up. It’s the difference between a fraternity matching random cabinet liquors into a party punch vs. a sommelier matching wine with your meal. Both can be a good time, but one is a little more considered. Rather than just mixing styles and seeing what pops out, Shook Foil has intertwined specific elements so subtly, they may go unnoticed upon first listen.
Hodgins’ vocal cadence is pure pop, for instance – but contrasts with surprisingly sophisticated lyrics. The music leans toward roots/rock, but is textured with modern ambience effects. The guitar work is indebted to the R.E.M. jangle, but is often played over ’60s bubblegum pop-rock chord progressions.
Shook Foil doesn’t have any more or better influences than the next indie band, but they incorporate them in such a unique way as to make Significance an equally unique listen.
Produced by Joel Seibel and Shook Foil