Shecky - Shecky

Shecky 

​Shecky 
self-released; 2015

​3.5 out of 5

By Jamie Robash

The Canadian synth pop duo Shecky is comprised of members Korak Shank and Bic Glug. Big Glug makes the synth pop loops, samples and basic drum track beats in Vancouver and then sends them over to Shank in Victoria and he lays down the lyrics, which range from silly half-ass rap-rhymes to straight forward lyricism which is often riddled with end rhymes and clichés, though according to Shecky’s members that is precisely the point. As their masthead states, “We make music to entertain ourselves, and hopefully you, too.”

The pair’s first attempt to entertain both themselves and you is their fifteen-track self-titled debut. Both Glug and Shank used early versions of Garage Band to record the album and it certainly sounds as so, or at least will to anyone who has ever recorded a demo or made their own little weekend mix tape, thinking it helped to prove they were on their way to a long and lauded musical career.

Shecky opens with the odd jungle beats and heavily machine meddled vocals of “Dig that Junk.” It’s the first of many musical vignettes to be found on the album. Next the white rapper “King Shit Underwear Model” sounds more like a comedy skit than an actually song. There is of course a theme here and a few funny lines, but nothing that survives more than a few plays before it becomes dated and no longer retains its initial humor.

Not until “Such Tasty Tears” does the pair really take full advantage of the use of their out of date but perfectly relevant recording equipment. The song, though it still has a juvenile tongue and cheek lyrics, for the first time displays a little bit of effort to sound like a band. On the next track “Underkill” they have quite made the first relevant track on the album, and recalls nods to bands like Half Japanese and Beat Happening among others.
​
I give Shecky credit for staying true to what it is they want from making music, which is to amuse themselves and possibly others. However the album itself is a collage of mostly halfhearted attempts at songs. It is amusing at times until it isn’t anymore. Plain and simple.

Tweet