Shearwater: Kim Burke, Will Sheff, Howard Draper, Jonathan Meiburg, Thor Harris (banjo). Additional personnel: Craig Ross (guitar); Travis Weller (violin); Scott Brackett (trumpet). Austin indie rock collective Shearwater originally self-released their debut album, PALO SANTO, in 2006. When they signed to Matador Records, the group took the opportunity to almost entirely re-record the album, and added on a bonus disc of eight brand-new songs for good measure. This revamped version of PALO SANTO is an outstanding slice of progressive indie rock very much in the mold of the Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse. Highlights include the epic "Red Sea, Black Sea" and the haunting climax, "Hail Mary."
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