Words of Advice from the Leprechaun
by Jon Balog

It's hard to describe the atmosphere that The Shroud creates to someone who hasn't heard the band, since their sound completely defies any pre-conceived notions that a new listener may have. I guess a good way to sum up their work would be to call it a perfect fusion of mysticism and contemporary music. Imagine refreshingly upbeat drum sections, warm passive-aggressive guitar melodies, and angelic female vocals on the ethereal/rock borderline, and you've at least scratched the surface. The lyrics help create dreamy, romantic ballads, with pagan and medieval overtones, which still manage to come across as contemporary rock songs.

I discovered The Shroud four years ago with their second release, A Dark Moon Night, and since then my respect for them has grown and grown. I now hold more admiration for this group than any other active band, and with good reason. They've been recording for almost a decade without benefit of a label, pulling their act off without coming across as cheesy or pretentious, remaining artistically innovative, all the while sounding so damn accessible. I got so geeked out when I opened my mailbox and saw that they'd sent me a free copy of their first release in years, and I was far from disappointed. With In the Garden, they've decided to throw trip-hop beats into the mix, while still retaining their trademark faery-tale rock edge.

For new listeners, especially those not familiar with indie music, I would recommend picking up A Dark Moon Night before this one, but if you're a fan of Switchblade Symphony or Tapping the Vein, check

Garden out. If you have no idea who those bands are, but like Tori Amos, Mazzy Star, or Loreena McKennitt, you'll love this one. Or, if you just like good music, it's for you, too. http://www.theshroud.com