FDF Volume 3 Issue 334 - The Sheila Divine - New Parade

Album – New Parade

Artist – The Sheila Divine

Key Players - Shawn Sears – drums, backing vocals. Jim Gilber – bass, backing vocals. Aaron Perrino – vocals, guitar.

Produced By – Brian Charles, Mike Denneen

Release Date - 1999

Overview - Formed in 1997 Boston based band “Sheila Divine” met in college and re-grouped in Boston. After gigging for two years the band won a local radio station contest (The WBCN Rock and Roll Rumble) in 1999. “New Parade” was their debut which included new material as well as re-recorded songs from their first ep. The album was met with positive reviews. By 2000 the band added an additional guitar player and released their follow up. Sears left the band for a time to spend time as a new Dad, but the band continued to gain fans with their open taping policy, in that audience members were encouraged to record and trade live shows. After some turmoil the band announced in 2003 they were breaking up. They'd do a few reunion shows amongst side projects before reforming.

FDF Comments (aka the songs) – The 12 song album opens with “Automatic Buffalo”. The track has acoustic guitars and a really nice bass line underneath. Perrino has a strong voice and as the song heads to the chorus he gets even stronger as the band also gets a bit louder. A pretty, and solid album opener. The urgency continues on “Like A Criminal”. The band is good at mixing the bit of hard edge rock with some fine melodies. Its easy to tap your feet to these tracks, and they have infectious hooks. Gilber has a solid hook as “Awful Age” gets started with the simple Sears drum line laid done. The guitars swell. The band had a modest college radio hit with"Hum" I'll leave that one alone, just listen to it. Its awesome. Enough said. We seem to calm down some as “Spacemilk” starts. A bit more melody from the bass is up front and it is a quick and to the point track. Perrino is a bit compressed as “I'm a Believer” begins, but after the first verse the full band comes in and it has that great power pop feel to it. The band can write hooks! “The Modern Log” continues in that vein of big power chords and soaring vocals. “Opportune Moment” seems to be a bit more on the mellow side (for this band) but you still will get the really great vocals, if fact Perrino might be in his finest form here. “The Amendment” feels like a break from the urgency of many of the tracks. I am sure the band needed a track like this in a live setting. “New Parade” begins with a duo of piano and acoustic guitar. The track slowly builds and builds as the listener would both hope and expect from these guys. A really rewarding listen. The crunch of the guitar is right up on “Kitchen Song” but its offset some with the strumming acoustic underneath and a nice swirling bass line. Again Perrino shines vocally. The album concludes with “Sweep the Leg” a largely shippable track as it is just a series of keyboard type bleeps and bloops.

Where are they now? - The band has had some issues in the past taking time off between 2003-2007 and then 2009. As of 2010 they are listed as a “current” and active band with the three members still intact. Their most recent album was 2012's “The Things That Once Were”.

FDF Overall Take/Was it worth Dusting Off? - Yes. Dig it out. Find a copy if you can. Its well worthy our time. A rocking trio with some big hooks. You'll be beyond pleased.

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