(...i don't want to believe...)

invisible against the sun

25-May-2006 4:16 PM - Shalloboi - Invisible Against The Sun (5tx cd ep, 37'o7" - self-prod. 'o5) - Tyler Ritter is an interesting talented shoegazing boy from Chicago, addicted to long dark spacey sounds producted by a bow and a guitar. That kind of multilayered distortion that remembers more of a cello (and there is one too) than a six strings , accompanied by minimal reversed drumming. Kind of Loveliescrushing vs Sigur Ros. Invisible Against The Sun is suite of five tracks walking the same path more and more times, where boy/girl vocals melt and sing inspired by the holy feeling of dreaming. - Are You Awake? quests the #4, and You might easily think of a strange nocturnal allucination populated of melancholic ghosts and raining flowers.. //- paolo micelli

vanity project

Shalloboi - Invisible Against The Sun (Endless December)
Recorded between March 2004 and August 2005, this is a 40 minute 5-track EP of blessed, down-beat post-rock ambience that has the same dark intent as early Cranes, but with even less of pop sensibility. 'Invisible Against The Sun' flickers like a broken telly, its tube reducing vision to a more dot from which songwriter Tyler Ritter's mournful vocal escapes. This morphs into the bleaker, more faintly distorted 'Ivy' where guitar softly spins and loops in the distance. 'Flowers For Darcy' is more upbeat, built on deadened chimes and a soft wail. 'Are You Awake?' tickles like the gnawing bite of a thousand blunt scissors. 'The Weather King' shickers like grint (and a slinky) on rubber, cello providing a more leathery texture beneath. Skif.

culturebunker.com (scroll down)

SHALLOBOI "Invisible Against The Sun" - Endless December Recordings [March 06]
The tone of this record is very serious and strange and I would probably have to be the complete opposite of sober to fully get what's going on here. There's a whole lotta ambient noise combined with vocals, mostly done by Stefanie Goodwin, that sound more chant-like than sung. Each of the five songs feel like they're about a year long and, every time I've put this disc into my player, I've wanted to yell, "For the love of God! Just say it and move on already you self-indulgent yo-yos!" Oh how I have wanted to wage war on this band for the seriousness, for the song lengths and for the driving me out of my ever loving mind trying to get to the end of the goddang CD (which is an uphill battle all the way, let me tell you)! But, if I was in a certain mood and had taken the right combination of prescription medication that I don't really have a prescription for, I might admit to a few moments of Shalloboi enjoyment. There's a certain industrial gracefulness to the songs that's actually quite moving at times. And the last track, "The Weather King," saves this CD in my opinion. I'm not too wild about the vocals, which I can barely hear anyway, but the haunting cello (played by Billy Speer) speaks volumes about simplicity and beauty that can be found in even the most tedious of situations. ---6/11 Melissa Treolo