After teasing fans with singles, the debut album, SuperPowers from Shop Front Heroes has arrived. One could say it’s an early Christmas present for fans, but with singles like “Killer” and “Caer Bryn”, it’s more of a musical offering of wisdom, love, and reflection.
Formed in 2017 with Stevie Yeomans (lead vocals, guitar, and piano), Jake Owen (lead guitar, vocals), Matt Whitehouse (drums), Tom Jaques (guitar, vocals), and Alex Middleton (bass), the band snagged Stew Jackson for mixing and Sean Magee for mastering.
On recording the album, Stevie says,
“Recording ‘SuperPowers’ was such an organic, wholesome, and nutritious process. We kept everything about it so real, and as an independent band, we tried to swing the bat as hard as we could to make it.”
He further adds,
“We borrowed money from a local business to fund it, wrote all the songs in a barn on a hill, just outside our houses, produced the album ourselves, and spent two weeks hanging out together at the spiritual rock mecca that is Rockfield Studios in Wales to record it.”
With the support of friends, former bandmates, and hometown choir, Stevie says,
“We are so proud of what we have made. It’s not easy to produce and release an album yourself, but we’ve done it properly and couldn’t be happier with it.”
What’s magical about SuperPowers is that one can get lost in the album. There’s no fleeting sensation here; each of the twelve songs is a heartfelt journey through the corridors of one’s heart and soul. Be it memories, lessons, or reflection, one is allowed to not just listen but to find connection to the lyrics and music. Both impact anyone who listens on a personal level.
One cannot help but dwell and ponder when listening to SuperPowers, but perhaps that’s not only the power of the album but also the power of Shop Front Heroes. They’re allowing space for introspection and reflection while also providing one helluva soundtrack as one traverses the sentiment and essence of what we humans experience.
Read our interview with Shop Front Heroes
MUST LISTEN TRACKS: “Flowers for Algernon”, “Caer Bryn”, “Don’t Be Cruel (to Yourself)”, “Killer”, and “H Pact”
