Holy Roller, Shiny Around the Edges’ debut, is both jaggedly bleak and crushingly beautiful. Recorded with Matthew J. Barnhart (Shearwater, The New Year) at The Echo Lab deep in the Blackland Prairie of North Texas, Holy Roller serves as a reflection of the band’s wide-ranging musical influences. Taking cues from the ambient noise, jazz, metal, folk, and country records they listen to while living in the fertile music scene of Denton, Texas, Shiny Around the Edges deliver an album boiling with schizophrenic guitar work, pummeling rhythms, and vocals both impassioned and soothing.

The core of Shiny Around the Edges is Michael and Jennifer. For more than seven years, the duo has released limited edition CDRs, digital downloads, and 7”s to an increasing audience around the world. Committed to exploring differing sonic textures, they have often been joined by musicians looking to explore as well. Members of bands such as the Baptist Generals (Sub Pop), Castanets (Asthmatic Kitty), The Paper Chase (Kill Rock Stars), and If Thousands (Chairkickers) have joined Shiny Around the Edges live and in the studio. Holy Roller sees the addition of Justin from the Texas noise rock bands, Notes from Underground and Geistheistler, plus Josh and Ed of Denton’s post-hardcore, Last Men.

Credits
All songs written by Jennifer and Michael

Produced by Shiny Around The Edges
Recorded by Matthew J. Barnhart
Mixed by Matthew J. Barnhart, Michael, Jennifer and Justin
Mastered by Carl Saff

Track Listing
01. Every Hunter Needs A Kill
02. Crosses
03. Come Closer [mp3]
04. Devil’s River
05. Avoidance Theory
06. This Apocalypse
07. Glory Glory
08. I Hover Above You
09. Elizabeth Ascending
10. Utah

Press
“with both raw sexuality and sweet tenderness—Shiny Around the Edges has found a way to channel all its ghosts, energy and talent into a collection that truly showcases what everyone in Denton has buzzed about for so long.”- Merritt Martin, Dallas Observer

“We all need a wedge to separate us from what’s happening in the now, and Shiny Around the Edges has provided the crowbar.”- Justin Spicer, Electronic Voice Phenomenon

“We’re taken with the pair’s ability to conjure tumbleweeds and desert space with distortion and velvety vocals on the just-released Holy Roller.”- Lyndsay Knecht Milne, NBC

When Sounds Are Active released the film 40 BANDS/80 MINUTES! in 2006, artists like Abe Vigoda, Gowns, HEALTH, Naomi, Anavan, No Age (performing as Wives) and yes, even, I Heart Lung were not yet being covered by much of the independent press. Fast forward a few years and many of these groups have already achieved both critical and artistic success. 40 BANDS/80 MINUTES! stands as the definitive document of the Los Angeles underground in the mid 2000’s.

With 20 Bands/74.4 Minutes! we lovingly repeat the process with the Denton, Texas musical underground. Assembled by Michael and Jennifer of Shiny Around The Edges, 20 Bands/74.4 Minutes! showcases a staggering amount of diversity in the long-simmering scene. As the liner notes accurately summerize: “Much like the fabled Smell in L.A., Denton is not just a physical place but a mental space where creativity is fostered and all are welcome.”

Track Listing

01. Shiny Around the Edges “Come Closer” [mp3]
Written by Jennifer Seman © 2009 Shiny Music (ASCAP)

02. Fight Bite “Spring Rain” [mp3]
Written by Fight Bite © 2008 Fight Bite

03. Tre Orsi “The Visible Hand” [mp3]
Written by Tre Orsi © 2009 Tre Orsi

04. Mom “Josh Likes Me” [mp3]
Written by Mom © 2007 tiny taun publishing (ASCAP)

05. Record Hop “Rocket Séance” [mp3]
Written by Record Hop © 2008 Record Hop

06. Dust Congress “Sow a $58 Seed” [mp3]
Written by Nick Foreman © 2009 a vampire in my bathtub music (ASCAP)

07. The Make Believers “Anytime is a Good Time” [mp3]
Written by William Kapinos © 2009 William Kapinos

08. Heartstring Stranglers “Jennie” [mp3]
Written by Frederick Schulze © 2008 The Heartstring Stranglers

09. Darktown Strutters “Quakertown” [mp3]
Written by Kara Howell © 2007 Darktown Strutters

10. Zanzibar Snails “The Pendulum, The Dirigible” [mp3]
Written by Forbes/Hill/Chamy © 2006 Zanzibar Snails

11. Paul Slavens “Piece for Piano and Wind Trio: I Allegro” [mp3]
Recorded live with the following musicians: Paul Slavens, piano;
Gabe Lit, clarinet; Domenica Fossati, flute; Laura Romberg, oboe
Written by Paul Slavens © 2008 Paul Slavens

12. Kaboom “Helen Keller” [mp3]
Written by Brad Santulli, Chris Cowdrey, Garrick Campsey, and Ethan Hahn
© 2008 Kaboom

13. History at Our Disposal “Bed of Leaves” [mp3]
Written by Jason Reimer © 2006 handsfortoes

14. Daniel Folmer “Skin and Bones” [mp3]
Written by Daniel Folmer © 2008 Ganglo Music (ASCAP)

15. Delmore Pilcrow “The Most Popular Mister” [mp3]
Written by Chris Garver © 2008 Chris Garver

16. Florene “Street Caring” [mp3]
Written by Aaron Mollet © 2008 Florene

17. Sean Kirkpatrick “The Paper” [mp3]
Written by Sean Kirkpatrick © 2007 (BMI)

18. Handbrake “Brillo’s Aftermath” [mp3]
Written by Handbrake © 2008 Handbrake

19. Glen Farris “When the Dawn Finds You” [mp3]
Written by Glen Farris © 2008 Glen Farris

20. Notes from Underground “No. 3, July 2006” [mp3]
Written by Notes from Underground © 2008 Notes from Underground

Press
“Though 20 Bands/74.4 Minutes! isn’t 100 percent comprehensive, the compilation is pretty remarkable because, despite featuring a wide-ranging swathe of agro to mellow Denton acts, the album still manages to sustain a sense of continuity.”- Dallas Observer