Nothing negative about Shy Mirrors

Here is yer first decent rock and roll release for the new year, kids. Shy Mirrors are a guitar and drums duo from Illinois (Champaign? Urbana?) but also from Stockholm, Sweden; that’s where the guitar half of this outfit currently resides. Mike Downey is the name of that half, thee Mike Downey of late 90’s Champaign favorites Wolfie, the man credited with providing the majority of that band’s sonic abrasion. He’s tearing it up in similar fashion in Shy Mirrors on their 14-track post-punk racer Negative Collector, the follow-up to their fine 2011 debut elpee, Sailed Blanks. For fans of hard popping, melodic rock, this record is a pretty good way to kick this new year off in the right direction.