Painted Shield combines the talents of Pearl Jam co-founder Stone Gossard, folksinger Mason Jennings, drummer extraordinaire Matt Chamberlain, soul innovator Brittany Davis, and renowned guitarist Jeff Fielder. Painted Shield was released on Gossard’s newly reactivated Loosegroove label, which had famously released the debut Queens of the Stone Age album back in 1998. The supergroup’s new album, Painted Shield 3, arrived on July 26.
“Window” is an early stand-out from the band’s third outing. The hauntingly infectious vocals are elevated by soaring harmonies as the arrangement unfurls with subtle grandiosity. What starts as an eerie piano-driven ballad unfurls into a scenic indie-rock landscape with searing guitar work and triumphant backing vocals. While the arrangement continues to build on itself, so do the vocals. Angelic backing vocals coil around the passionate leads whose harmonies elevate the dramatic single. “Window” sounds like it could soundtrack a long contemplative walk through the dead of Autumn while doubling as a pure example of the chemistry Painted Shield shares as a band. With Painted Shield 3 out in the world, “Window” is a testament to its progression as a unit while detailing its nuanced approach to indie rock.
