Line #10 Music/Shellac


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/shellac_3626.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:[[InSeriesNickname Velocity, mass, time.]]]]
3
4	Shellac are a Post-Hardcore and MathRock band from UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}, Illinois. They were founded in 1992 by recording engineer Music/SteveAlbini and drummer Todd Trainer and were later completed by bassist and fellow recording engineer Bob Weston.
5
6	They are by far the longest-running and most stable band of Steve Albini and are notorious for their abrasive sound, dark and edgy lyrics and their antagonistic stage presence. They are noted for their minimalist sound and absurdly well-recorded albums. They cover the middle ground between the previous two Albini-led bands, the aggressive Music/BigBlack and the more technical Rapeman.
7
8	'''Members:'''
9	* Steve Albini - Vocals, guitar, recording (credited as "velocity")
10	* [[TheLancer Bob Weston]] - Bass, vocals, recording (credited as "mass")
11	* [[AllDrummersAreAnimals Todd Trainer]] - Drums (credited as "time")
12
13	'''Discography:'''
14
15	* ''At Action Park'' (1994)
16	* ''The Futurist'' (1997)
17	* ''Terraform'' (1998)
18	* ''1000 Hurts'' (2000)
19	* ''Excellent Italian Greyhound'' (2007)
20	* ''Dude Incredible'' (2014)
21	* ''To All Trains'' (2024)
22
23
24	!!This band provides examples of:
25	* AllDrummersAreAnimals: Played straight and taken up to eleven by Todd Trainer. His vampire-like looks and slender figure even qualify him as NightmareFuel. [[note]] [[https://i.imgur.com/RZbjPaL.jpg Impressively captured by this shot.]] [[/note]]
26	* BewareTheSillyOnes: Todd Trainer is by far the biggest goofball of the three, and something of a space cadet comparatively, but put him on stage and he becomes outright ''disturbing''
27	* BreakupSong: The album ''1000 Hurts'' is an album with hate-filled breakup songs with romantic lines.
28	* TheCameo: None other than voice-over legend Ken Nordine in "Genuine Lulabelle", then 87 years old. The same song also features Matt Chapman of WebAnimation/HomestarRunner fame.
29	* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: Todd Trainer. Imagine [[Series/{{Seinfeld}} Kramer]] was a drummer.
30	* DenserAndWackier: ''Excellent Italian Greyhound''. A cameo by a cartoon character, a dog on the cover and a goofy self-parody as a closer.
31	* [[HeroesLoveDogs Drummers Love Dogs]]: Trainer and his dog Uffizi.
32	* EndOfAnEra: "The End of Radio" from ''Excellent Italian Greyhound''.
33	* EpicRocking: "Il Porno Star" shifts gear a few times just to end in a noise melt-down.
34	** Subverted with "Didn't We Deserve a Look at You the Way You Really Are", a 12 minutes long, heavily repetitive track.
35	* {{Expy}}: ''The Shoe Song'' from ''1000 Hurts'' is a {{homage}} to Music/{{Slint}}'s ''Good Morning, Captain'', down to the distinctive ''I MISS YOUUUU'' scream.
36	* FedoraOfAsskicking: Albini's fedora.
37	* IndecipherableLyrics: Almost every song, given the nature of Albini's vocals.
38	* IntentionallyAwkwardTitle:
39	** "Il Porno Star".
40	** ''Excellent Italian Greyhound'' just seems [[DenserAndWackier odd in context]].
41	* InTheStyleOf: "The Shoe Song", in the style of Music/{{Slint}}.
42	* LargeHam: Steve Albini, of course, but Bob Weston has his moments too. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kys0i4Krlbs Live shows]] are an even bigger source of this
43	* LighterAndSofter: The b-side "Billiard Player Song" is far more melodic and introspective than the rest of their output.
44	* LongRunnerLineup: Technically Type 2, as former Music/NakedRaygun bassist Camilo Gonzalez performs on "Rambler Song" from the band's first single. However, the lineup hasn't changed since Weston joined in 1993.
45	* LoyalAnimalCompanion: Todd Trainer's dog Uffizi, during his lifetime. They even made him the cover model for an album, and conducted an interview about him for ''Dogs 101.''
46	* MindScrew: "I'm a plane" from "Wingwalker".
47	* MurderBallad: {{Deconstructed}} in "Prayer to God," which expresses similar feelings frustration and entitlement towards women but coming from an average man who's too cowardly to actually go through with killing them.
48	* NewTechnologyIsEvil: All albums and singles are recorded with analogue equipment.
49	* NoiseRock
50	* PerishingAltRockVoice: Each guy has his own spin on this.
51	* PerspectiveFlip: "Canaveral" (quoted up above) is a song from the perspective of the husband of one of the many women UsefulNotes/JohnFKennedy slept with. The tone is quite venomous.
52	* PrayerOfMalice: "Prayer to God" is about a man praying for the death of his ex-girlfriend and her new lover.
53	* PrecisionFStrike: "Prayer to God", suddenly interrupting the tone of the "prayer". Later evolves into a ClusterFBomb.
54	--> Fucking kill him.
55	* RockTrio
56	* SignatureStyle: Noisy guitars, brutal yet precise drumming, distorted basslines and absurdly well-recorded albums, {{justified\|Trope}} as Albini and Weston are skilled recording engineers. Shouted vocals low in the mix are a given.
57	* TheSociopath: Steve Albini's persona in Shellac songs.
58	--> [[SelfHarm Cut yourself up and down your arms - both arms.]]
59	--> And it makes you feel better
60	--> They're your arms
61	--> It's none of my business.
62	* TheSomethingSong: "Squirrel Song," "Shoe Song," "Watch Song," "Song of the Minerals," "Billiard Player Song..."
63	* WorldOfHam: ''At Action Park'' is all shouting or passive-aggressive hissing.

Context Music / Shellac