Shame Kick It Hard, Fast & Gnarly On Invigorating ‘Food For Worms’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Photo Credit: Pooneh Ghana

Shame has had one of the most electric and eye-grabbing rises to stardom the punk world has seen in years. Their road has been paved with strenuous tour schedules, a quick thrust into the limelight, and complete mental breakdowns. All of their triumphs and downward spirals were captured on the band’s first two LPs, two shining examples of artists conveying their wide range of emotions with an accuracy and skillset that trambles their peers and places them at the top of the punk world. Now that the dust has settled, shame is proudly standing on the other side of their troubles with 10 songs meant to represent the hard-earned growth of the band. Their third album, Food for Worms is the invigorating new LP from shame that captures the band at a moment where they finally seem at peace with their newfound fame. 

Food for Worms features shame’s strongest music in the pantheon of their short discography. They hit a new creative stride through the album’s dense textures and complex structure, allowing them to shape otherworldly arrangements for their evolved songwriting. Shame sounds more focused than ever, they’re letting the twists and turns of the album steer their sonics instead of forcing them to straighten out. This makes the album feel alive with every moving part representing a fragment of this vivid picture. The crunchy guitar solo at the end of “Yankee” and the slow burn of a ballad like “Orchid” all bleed into each other to create a listening experience that feels like a circus of natural musicianship. 

Shame’s usual introspection is replaced with views of their surroundings. The album sees the band exploring new territory with their lyrics that have them focusing on their place in the world instead of attempting to interpret what that place represents. Moments like “Six-Pack” has the band pointing their questioning toward the listener as they spin a tale of greed and recontextualize society’s most sought-after goals as trivial. Their goal isn’t to put the world down, they’re not taking a strong stance against what’s around them, they’re simply putting their observations out into the world like the rest of us. The difference is shame is more calculated, and the songwriting on Food for Worms continues to prove just what all the hype is about. They navigate their experiences and present them with intent and meaning in a way that evokes a visceral feeling in the listener. 

Foods for Worms takes you deep into the life story of a band still trying to find its footing. They explore new areas of their creativity and take risks that lay below the surface. You feel like you are placed behind the eyes of shame, seeing their journey from their perspective leaves you with a sense of pride for a group of kids simply creating what pops into their heads. The ten songs presented are a culmination of a whole life lived in a few years, you feel their experiences and get a sense of their emotions through the distortion and pounding arrangements while the lyrics have the band more grounded than ever. There is no preparing for Foods for Worms, simply appreciate that shame is letting us into their world for a potent and animated trip of masterful craftsmanship. 

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