The abrasive LA experimentalists Sprain announced their breakup in 2023 not long after releasing their ambitious (and ambitiously titled) The Lamb As Effigy or Three Hundred And Fifty XOXOXOS For A Spark Union With My Darling Divine. Last summer former Sprain members Alex Kent and Sylvie Simmons launched their new band, Shearling, and today they've unveiled a debut album that seems to keep that old Sprain sensation alive.
The intriguingly titled Motherfucker, I Am Both: "Amen" And "Hallelujah"... is one track that runs over an hour. It sounds, on first pass, like a direct continuation of the Sprain ethos: expansive in scope and substance, yet unified in its scraping, apocalyptic post-rock aesthetic. The vocals are often bellowed aggressively or spoken ominously, and the music morphs many times over. About five minutes into it, when the first lyrics came in, I thought maybe I should put my headphones on so I don't disturb my pal who's working across the room.
Are you fascinated? Terrified? Motherfucker, I am both. Stream Shearling's debut below.
Motherfucker, I Am Both: "Amen" And "Hallelujah"... is out now via Mishap Records. Buy it here.
