Shelby - The Luxury of Time

The Luxury of Time is a deceptively strong effort from the NYC tandem of vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Kenny Cummings and bassist Phil Schuster. On first listen, there are enough familiar elements present (early Radiohead, Oasis and My Bloody Valentine are all points of reference) to write Shelby off as just another in a succession of influenced but not influential modern rock bands. Fortunately, repeated exposure to the album reveals depth and nuance that enhance the band’s melodic sense and hint at a wealth of originality beneath their radio friendly veneer. “The Golden Boy” opens the record perfectly with its pulsing beat and single-worthy melody, asking questions like “How was your weekend?” with unprecedented intensity. The bass-driven “Loudon Wainwright” follows, starting with a murmur and swelling to its eventual peak as Cummings begins “paging” the iconic folk singer. Rocker “The Wait” manages to allude to both Radiohead and The Strokes without appearing derivative. Other highlights of the record include the rollicking “Green Eyes,” in which Cummings issues the strangely inviting call to “put away your common sense and crawl right up by my side” and the brief but radiant ballad “The Riviera.” Dragging down the overall quality of the album are the closing cover of “Let It Be Me” (popularized by The Everly Brothers), which proves an ill-advised swan song, and the unnecessary length of several tracks which would have been better served by a bit of editing. The Luxury of Time is a first-rate collection of lush, melodic anthems that delivers with more potency upon each consecutive hearing. [www.shelbynyc.com]