Shame - Songs of Praise - Research

Shame are an alternative, post - punk band from South London, their debut album ‘Songs of Praise’ was released on 12 January 2018, and was met with critical acclaim. I decided to base one of my products for New Music Market on Shame’s debut album because stylistically it is different from the other two albums that I’ve already picked being punk, and also because its punk, I can utilise some of the research that I’ve gathered when writing the subculture section of my book. 

From reviews of the album, I’ve found a few succinct descriptions of it:

- ‘Shame imbue their post-adolescent rage with wit and, crucially, an awareness that they may never succeed’

- ‘He gives a fuck, but only about not giving a fuck’

• ‘If Shame belong to a generation of mobilizing British refuseniks teetering on an uprising, Songs of Praise is its soundtrack, whistling like a kettle coming to the boil. From beginning to end, its motorik riffs course through you the way a vat of dirty water journeys from a grimy cistern into an overrun toilet bowl. Steen’s knack for sordid imagery exalts him beyond his peers. Knowing the limitations of his gender and genre, he’s fine-tuned a charisma that hoodwinks you into listening to his enchanting tales from the underbelly.’

A familiar anti-establishment aggression can be heard throughout the record, echoing the sentiments of the punk subculture when it was in full force. NME, which gave the album 5 out of 5 stars said the album has ‘sarcasm and dark humour’ laced throughout it. Shame also have a real affinity for performing live, with lively and loud ‘sweat-slicked live shows’.

The Guardian said this about the ‘peak’ of the album -  ‘the peak is the single One Rizla, where teenage gripes and insecurities cohere into grownup emotional clarity, Steen yelling “you’re clinging to conflict / just let go!” as a massive anthem surges behind him.’ - this definitely touches upon some of the main themes of the album, so perhaps it would be a good point of reference for coming up with an ides for a product to represent the album. 

This is the oldest track on Shame's debut album. It finds a defiant, yellow teethed Charlie Steen proclaiming: "I ain't much to look at, and I ain't much to hear." He explained to Billboard magazine: "That song was basically me turning insecurity into strength. And almost sort of maybe creating this sort of on-stage persona as well, where I don't care what anyone thinks, because in this one moment, in this one song, you have a moment of feeling untouchable.”

I’ve listened through the album a few times and read up on the lyrics, and what seems clear is that even if some songs differ in exactly what they’re singing about, all the songs have this feeling that they’re about finding a voice and a platform to put forth opinions, this is further emphasised by the quantity of lyrics that are in the form of a question, it feels like he’s directly talking to you and getting you to actually consider what he’s saying and answer him. From this, I tried to think what everyday product related well to the mouth or the voice and I considered dental health products; in ‘One Rizla’, Steen sings ‘Yellow teeth fit the sleeping bags’ which obviously suggests poor dental health, also the aptly named song contains the lyric -‘Lungs are tired 'cause they're filled with smoke’. There are a lines on the album referencing smoking and more of a reckless lifestyle so maybe a product focusing on dental health could act as a remedy. Also, if the main theme of the song is about airing your voice, the product could be mouthwash or something because if you are going to air your voice you would want your breath to smell minty.

Another idea I had for a product is a carton/bottle of milk; the song ‘One Rizla’ contains the lyric - ‘My voice ain't the best you've heard, And you can choose to hate my words, But do I give a fuck?’. I think one of the main themes of this song, and the album in general is that he wants his voice to be heard, but he doesn’t care what people think of it, he doesn’t care if people disagree. So a product which improves your voice, or sweetens its impact doesn’t make sense. A common belief held by singers is that dairy is bad for your voice and that you shouldn’t consume it before performing, a rule which Shame’s singer Charlie Steen wouldn’t definitely not care about. I also like how milk is a mundane product which nearly everyone uses, so if a carton of milk represented the album, it would almost be like the albums message is being spread to everyone.