The Capsules
Lawrence, Kansas, United States | INDIE
Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Dreamy, well-crafted pop gems for the shoegazing masses is what you'll find on this second full-length release from The Capsules. Even the songs have dreamy titles... such as "My Lucky Stars", "Day Sweeper" and "Turn to the Stars". If you're a fan of Mazzy Star or the Cocteau Twins this disc will be right up your alley. - Stacey Dawn
The band is made up of Julie Shields (vocals, guitar, piano farfisa [which I discovered is a type of organ used mostly in the 60s and 70s: http://www.organstudio.com/farfisaengl.htm] and flute; Jason Shields (Bass, Loops, Noise) and Kevin Trevino (drums, percussion).
Julie Shield's voice is similar to Hope Sandoval (Mazzy Star) and Anna-Lynne Williams (Trespasser's William). Sometimes childlike, sometimes a sexy purr.
The music is intricately layered in such a way that you hear something new with each listen and at various volume levels (I recommend headphones).
"When the Radio Stops" is killer. Just gorgeous.
This is a really nicely done CD from the songwriting to the production, a class act. - Amy
Shallow's Julie and Jason Shields come together once again as The Capsules, creating the melodic masterpiece Reverser. Julie Shields' voice is utterly gorgeous; the soft presence she exudes blends well with dreamy chords and gentle percussion. But don't fall asleep just yet! This album is full of true, poignant feeling and is very reminiscent of early Low, Ida, and Rainer Maria. The songs create a melancholic atmosphere and maintain consistent drum-vocals-guitar interweaving throughout every soothing melody. The singles from Reverser ("I'll Be the One", "Bee-Keeping", and "When You Were Young") are excellent mixtures of refined musicianship and prize vocals and are probably why the band is receiving so much attention from college radio in their hometown of Lawrence, Kansas. Regardless of what songs are singles off of Reverser, this is an excellent album because The Capsules place emphasis on creating an overall winning collection of heartfelt melodies rather than merely churning out a couple songs good for radio. - Saira Khan
This trio, fronted by Shallow members Julie and Jason Shields, with Kevin Trevino on drums, play thick and mesmerizing dreampop that crashes like ocean waves across the air. Some of Julie's vocals touch upon a Kim Deal elegance, while in the background the music moves from a Low slowness to a bright but deep shoegazing drive. Hints of bands like My Bloody Valentine creep in, making one wonder about the last name of Shields, but there's also a clean sparkle to the songs that lifts everything up. It's all airy wonderment, like a straightforward Cocteau Twins song, or a Cranes song with much nicer vocals. Even when the tracks seem to drift towards nowhere, the melodies and rhythm keep the music feeling sweet, and it's all OK.
- Marcel Feldmar
Discography
Long Distance Dedication - Vespera Records
Home EP - Vespera Records
Someone for Everyone CD - URININE Records
Light the Path 7" - Isota Records
Reveser CD - URININE Records
Photos
Bio
If you listen closely enough to The Capsules new album, you might just hear one of those tornados that their hometown of Lawrence, KS is famous for. It cascades through the music, dancing around Julie Shields angelic voice, cutting through Jason Shields whale-like bass lines and rumbling over Kevin Trevinos loop-driven drum beats. It's the hidden fourth member of The Capsules; that makes a three-piece rock band sound like a sonic whirlwind.
It's a sound that the Shields have been chasing since their early days as Shallow; a band that played the entire 1996 Lollapalooza tour and shared bills with other sonic adventurers like Garbage, the Flaming Lips, Luna and Mercury Rev. It's also a ghost that stayed with them as they formed their new band in 2001. The Capsules' certainly started off on the right track, as their first project was recording a song for Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants". They quickly followed that up with the release of their first full-length album, "Reverser on Urinine Records.
The Shields' have just finished up their fifth album as musical partners and second as The Capsules titled Someone for Everyone. This is a remarkable recording in which every song is seemingly better than the one before. A unique record in which practically every song could be a single due to its catchy hooks and bold, dynamic arrangements. These moments are tempered with a sublime beauty reminiscent of Radiohead or Coldplay; evidence of The Capsules' continued maturity as songwriters and performers.
Live, The Capsules replicate the immense sound of their records with help from various electronic gadgets. Samplers and an impressive array of vintage guitar pedals serve to round out an already thick sound.
If you were to put The Capsules in a time capsule today, you'd be able to dig it up 20 years later and find a band peaking creatively and at the execution of their craft. Time will tell if Julie and Jason Shields join the upper echelon of rock couples, but until then, they'll continue stirring things up wherever they go.
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