John Wesley
Shiver

Many attentive listeners will surely remember John Wesley (also known by the nickname Wes Dearth), a guitarist and singer who frequently accompanies some illustrious names in the progressive scene around the world. Among his most notable collaborations are certainly the one with Marillion as the opening act for their performances in as many as seven consecutive tours, the partnership with Fish (the well-known ex-frontman of the aforementioned English band), and the established role of second voice and guitar for the Porcupine Tree concerts since the album In Absentia.

What not many know is that the artist in question boasts a well-stocked solo discography, now already reaching the seventh studio work with the EP The Lilypad Suite, to be followed by the LP Disconnect, which is set to be released this year.

In this review, we will delve into Shiver, produced in 2005 by RedRoom Recorders (a record label founded by John Wesley himself in Tampa Bay, Florida) and mixed by his friend Steven Wilson.

A premise must be made regarding the music contained in this album: John, in clear contrast to his usual English colleagues, essentially plays rock. Specifically, an energetic and atmospheric alternative rock, which somehow harks back to names such as Bruce Springsteen, Rush, Smashing Pumpkins, Screaming Trees, and Blind Melon, drawing heavily from the American musical tradition of the '80s and '90s.

The album, divided into 10 tracks, opens with the energy of Pretty Lives, followed by the sweet Star and Used Up. Always Be progresses with catchy arpeggios, while King of 17 is characterized by a riff reminiscent of a medieval ballad.

In the title track, we can fully appreciate the potential of John's warm and reassuring voice (in some respects comparable to that of Geddy Lee in the '80s works of Rush).

Another remarkable piece is Swing, which evolves from a delicate arpeggio into progressively darker and more obsessive sounds.

Some Miracle, melodic and sunny, continues the theme from Always Be, while Your Round offers a driving riff alternated with a slower and more relaxed chorus, then fades into the distance.

The closure is entrusted to Please Come Back, one of the most pop and catchy episodes of the work.

Shiver does not aspire to be a masterpiece. It's a good album, not particularly challenging and rather homogeneous in its offering, recommended especially to lovers of warm and singer-songwriter sounds. To the latter, I also suggest listening to the earlier Under The Red And White Sky and Chasing Monsters.