The debut recording from Austin TX's Shortwave Party!
"Shelby DuPerier's voice summons the frailties of the youthful human heart. Her powerful vocal presence could resonate in any number of musical contexts, but they work particularly well against Shortwave Party's mid-Eighties alt-pop. Inspired by the Smiths, the quintet never lets the mope grow maudlin. Credit guitarists Justin Finney and Brady Porche, who weave a riveting web of jangle that magnifies DuPerier's soulful yearning."
(Greg Beets for the Austin Chronicle, Dec 28, 2012)
" 'Where to Begin' is an enjoyably vigorous effort from Shortwave Party, a group from Austin, Texas...Their Facebook page provides a more thoughtful summary: “If Florence Welch had separate love children with Johnny Marr and Julian Casablancas and those kids committed incest and that monster started a band.”...Shortwave Party appears to be on a quick rise to prominence."
(Mike Mineo for Obscure Sound, Oct 29, 2012)
"As you know, we like reading band's own descriptions of their music, and this Austin, Texas five-piece have gone for "Jangle pop that makes people dance and/or nod their heads approvingly." A slightly humble description I think you'll agree, yet it suits them well...(with) Shelby's fine pair of lungs and you can see how she's been compared to Florence Welch.
Sound-wise Shortwave Party are less commercial, and this is to their credit... It's the lead track that understandably marks the high point of this debut single, mixing a scratchy riff with some twanging guitars and a bouncy rhythm that's got "underground hit" written all over it; it's an appealing little number for sure. We look forward to nodding our heads approvingly when the next release comes around."
(KevW for the Sound of Confusion, Oct. 25, 2012)
"Shortwave Party are one of the latest welcome additions to Austin’s indie pop scene in 2012. This quintet creates charming and upbeat guitar pop tunes with soaring vocals, plenty of jangly riffs, and just enough groove to make you bob your head and tap your feet... Their sound finds itself comfortably somewhere between the influences of the Smiths and the Buzzcocks and more contemporary bands like Real Estate and Beach House. Go get your jangle on and enjoy."
(Jennifer Leduc for Side One Track One, Oct. 3, 2012)
"Shortwave Party is like The Strokes, if The Strokes weren’t boring. A more apt comparison would be to The Smiths or The Walkmen; bands which have a palpably energetic sound to their sometimes heart breaking tunes.
Shortwave Party’s charming songs are grounded by frontman drummer Dolores J. Diaz’s forward driving dance beats. Meanwhile, guitarists Justin Finney and Brady Porche (what a name) jump back and forth from jittery indie riffs to an almost ‘wall of sound’ style, giving each song a fantastic depth. In addition, Michael Kuntzman’s clever bass lilts in and out of the song’s spotlight with a laid back but nevertheless wholly present tone. On top of this already smooth pie of sound, vocalist Shelby DuPerier (okay, now I know they’re making these names up) belts her heart out. Her voice conveys the grief felt by the overly self-conscious (once again, Morrissey and Leithauser come to mind), but doesn’t come off as pretentious sounding as this sentence."
(Taylor Browne for the Deli Magazine, Sept. 12, 2012)
All proceeds and donations go to the preservation and proliferation of Shortwave Party.
credits
released September 29, 2012
Recorded at The Wave Cave in Austin, TX.
Mastered by Adrian Morgan at Timeless Mastering, Brooklyn, NY.
Lacquer master cut by Josh Bonati at Bonati Mastering, Brooklyn, NY.
Vinyl pressed at Brooklyn Phono.
Cover design by Cristina de Llano.
A new album of perfect low-key gems from Kim Weldin of Tape Waves' unassuming bedroom pop side project Shiny Times. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 15, 2019
Terrific jangle pop with an edge, somewhere between Television Personalities and R.E.M. with a bit of Kinks in there, too. Bandcamp New & Notable Nov 2, 2023