scheer

April 25 - May 2, 1 9 9 6

** scheer

INFLICTION

(4AD)

The first album by Northern Ireland's scheer is a noisy mixture of well-established alternative formulas. Most of the songs build from a solid wall of powerful guitars. Peter Fleming's bass work is striking and Neal Calderwood (lead guitar) and Paddy Leyden (rhythm guitar) are more than impressive. Audrey Gallagher's voice, a breathy soprano reminiscent of the Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan, is too weak too pull off the rock rages the band aspire to ("Shea," "Howling Boy"); it's also too often drowned out by the guitars. Her style works best on the slower, softer rock ballads, where her voice gets a better chance to blend.

Gallagher's lyrics also leave something to be desired. The powerful rock of "Howling Boy" is undermined by silly, nonsensical words and Gallagher's limp vocal. Fortunately, most of her lyrics are unintelligible beneath the music.

-- Mary Ellen Carter

(scheer play with Lush and Mojave 3 at the Paradise this Monday, April 29.)