Rock
United States of America
Shift
Shift's Popular Music Videos
About Shift
Hometown
United States of America
Formed
1995
Genre
Rock
Though often associated with the New York City hardcore scene of the mid-'90s, Shift never quite fit in with their contemporaries, and were more apt to play a ballad than to kick over a mic stand. Their sound fuses complex time changes and manic break-outs with blatant pop sensibilities; a combination which won them a loyal underground audience, culminating in a jump to a major label in 1997. Originally formed in their native New York by singer/guitarist Joshua Loucka, bassist Brandon Simpson, and drummer Samantha Maloney, Shift went the DIY route, playing shows whenever possible and recording an EP, Pathos (1994), and a full-length album, Spacesuit (1995), on indie label Equal Vision Records. While Loucka's monotone voice could grow tiresome at times, both releases showed a firm grasp on the heavier and lighter elements of rock, a combination best realized on Spacesuit's "Dress Up," which veers from ballad to rocker with astonishing ease. Even in such a competitive scene, Shift stood out, and in 1997 were signed to Columbia Records. With the addition of guitarist Mark Holcomb, the band evened out their sound (the multi-layer guitar work on their first albums was never quite realized in concert), they released Get In in the fall of that year, and continued to tour aggressively. ~ Brian Raftery
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