The new EP from Chicago trio The Shades blends seamless Windy City harmonies into a cohesive musical package that’s a family affair on steroids.
DRAW evokes multiple meanings woven seamlessly into the fabric of the record. Complete with hand-drawn cover art, a collaboration with local artist Shayne Taylor, it is a sonically enchanting and ripe lyrical indication that the group is carving out a musical path all their own.
When The Shades released its first EP, Miles Made of Inches, two years ago, the Chicago pop trio recorded “every single song we had at our disposal at the time,” according to the group. That’s not the case with the new DRAW, a four-song set that’s out Oct. 25.
Completed over a four-day session at Gravity Studios in Chicago, it is a labor true family collaboration, with Andrew DeMuro’s brother Luke flying in from New York to engineer. Since brothers Phil and Mark Jacobson are already part of the trio, the entire process became a family affair on steroids with a complete seamless integration of sounds, ideas, and musical themes spanning several genre variations.
DRAW also refers to a dead heat or stalemate, which calls out the duality of choices that underscore each song’s message. Throughout the record, the singers dare listeners to “Love Me or Let Me Be”, or “Stitch It Up & Pass It On”. No matter where the listener’s heart is guided in each song, DRAW is a clear indication that The Shades are carving out a path of their own.
