Category:
Rock

Try if you like:
Bastro, Sunno))), Yo La Tengo

•   Hands

Shoegazing never gets old when done right, and without smarmy attitude. 230 Divisadero play it straight and hard, crafting somber droning guitar bliss that doesn’t let up. The opener, “How I Keep Myself Energized,” is a ten minute plus powerhouse that recalls greats like Mogwai, Rodan, and even Oren Ambarchi. Guest guitarist Nicholas Davis excels.

 

This duo of Matt Shaw and Nick Grey explore the inner world with impressionistic lyrics and majestic soundscapes that allow for piano, echoing vocals and the occasional clarinet (on “For Cody”) to penetrate deeper into your skull. Acoustic guitar drives “Old Photograph”; synth propels the ambient “The Cove.” There are many doors into the quiet but massive sound this debut offers. The boys from Montreal hit the ground running with a suspenseful and moving slab of rock that is already confident and visionary. 230 Divisadero is shoegazing that is preoccupied with more than just the self; it is wide and wondrous.