Shelter
Beyond Planet Earth (Roadrunner Records)
By: Jeff Lockwood
Ray Cappo and his crew are back at it again. Krishna rockers Shelter are piecing the remnants of the New York Hardcore scene back together. Shelter is making this puzzle rather interesting. They are taking the sharp and jagged pieces from the late 80's hardcore style and mixing them with more rounded pieces of today's punk. The picture that this puzzle ends up making is a cd with tracks of straight ahead hardcore (and I mean straight) and cute punk songs that will make suburban girls want to dance. The whole artistic puzzle is glued together with the idealisms of Hare Krisna.Beyond Planet Earth starts out with Revealed in Reflection, a crisp punk number that glamorizes the act of introspection. The music ranges from the ska like beats of Alone on My Birthday and the old style hardcore of Refusal to the hip-hop funk of Helpless. Most of the lyrics do tend to preach and make this record a bit more than just entertainment. It ends up being an anthem that a few people will choose to uphold.
Shelter is able to put this puzzle together for the listener rather well. For the most part, the listener will be able to take the preaching and music and form their own opinions of both. Not too many bands can actually do this.
(Note: This was originally going to be a concert review, but before Shelter made it to Pittsburgh, the band was in a rather bad accident. Outside of Salt Lake City, the band's van rolled five times down a cliff and just about everyone in the van broke a bone or two. Everyone survived and the press release stated that everyone in the band is back home in NYC recovering and they plan on touring as soon as possible.)
