superb album sounds like the best british bands with an american rock twist.recommended.
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Slowly but surely, Pittsburgh rock is getting a makeover, and it's working out nicely. 

Not to be critical, but there really has been a lot of garbage littering rock radio simply because it's from Pittsburgh. 

But an indie Brit-rock revolution is beginning to take shape, and one of its leaders is Shade. With a new EP "Fedra" and after opening shows for notable acts including Longwave, Sahara Hotnights and the Black Keys, Shade is ready to solidify its stature and is poised to grab fans who want more from the local scene than boring bar rock. 

With the opening strains of "240 Rollout," the band - vocalist Matt Stuart, organist Craig Stuart, bassist Brad Kiefer, drummer Dave Halloran and guitarist David Woods - lays down a beat that sounds intoxicated. 

The seven-track disc really comes to life on "Swervebaby," which opens with an audio assault that might make one imagine what a laser attack might sound like. U2 "Zoo TV" era keys kick in as Matt slurs "everybody's watching us." As the song closes, Woods' guitar imitates a venomous snake - coiled then striking. 

The beginning to "Dragan Stajic" hints at the Clash's "London Calling," and disc closer "Slowfire" is just that, in which Matt sings about desperately trying to forget, while the song drowns out in sad guitars and arcade game-style keys. 

RIYL: Stone Roses, Charlatans UK, Longwave
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Unlike the band's own previous releases and those of some cohorts, Fedra 's seven songs erupt like punchy indie-pop masterpieces, fit and trim and hopped-up on musical ephedra.  Thanks to a head-slap selection of songs and some über-pro mixing and mastering at Mr. Small's Funhouse, Fedra doesn't immediately conjure up the shoegazer adjectives so common to Shade's press (“dreamy” gets tossed around a lot).

Fedra 's anarchic Blur-rock twists (“240 Roll Out”) and Swervedriver-era noise-pop (“Swerve Baby”)........
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After seeing the band live, I wasn't sure if the same energy would be passed on to their recording, I was wrong.  The CD is just as great as seeing this band live.  Do yourself a favor and see this band & buy this CD.
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