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May 20, 2024Shellac, across 28 minutes of beat-em-up mutant rock, are on fire here, the six-legged noise beast dependable as ever. ‘To All Trains’ showcases a rock band who get every single thing about being a rock band absolutely correct.
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May 20, 2024While the music doesn’t go above and beyond what we’ve heard from them already, the quality remains steadfast, making To All Trains one of the sharpest entries in their discography.
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May 28, 2024Albini, drummer Todd Trainer, and bassist Bob Weston lock in together one last time—a wiry whirlwind of concision, all jokes and referents (including a wink to the late Mark E. Smith of the Fall) and honed dynamics on their leanest LP, at 28 minutes.
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May 22, 2024At a lean 28 minutes, it’s their shortest and most instantly rewardable—no instrumentals and none of the longform post-rock indulgences of 1998’s Terraform or 2007’s Excellent Italian Greyhound.
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UncutJun 24, 2024Their creative freedom is evident again on their final album. [Aug 2024, p.30]
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MojoJun 20, 2024It is sentimental and raw, demented and ultimately reaffirming. [Aug 2024, p.81]
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The WireJun 13, 2024It’s Shellac as usual, so lean, mean experimental rock music which sounds like you are right there in the room with the band. There’s a hint of mature craftsmanship in the classic descending chord sequence of “WSOD” and the waltz time of “Girl From Outside”. [Jul 2024, p.60]
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May 23, 2024This one is a masterclass in delivering musical precision with an undercarriage of scuzz and tension. The likes of Tattoos and Days Are Dogs retain the minimalist vision that has coursed through Shellac since their earliest releases.
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May 20, 2024To All Trains captures the nexus of serious/not serious that Shellac made their métier. .... To All Trains might not be Shellac’s defining statement (sadly, that was every time they performed live) but with its snarling lyrics and crisp sound, the record certainly meets the Albinic ideal.
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May 20, 2024To All Trains is almost certainly the final Shellac album, but it isn't a maudlin curtain call. It's a document of a happily uncompromising band living out their vision and loving their art, and on that level, it's as good a place as any to appreciate their (and his) singular brilliance. And it rocks.
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Jun 18, 2024What is left is as straightforward and compelling as anything they ever produced, a thing that just so happens to stand as a swansong.
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