Lamp Shade Betty: ‘Lamp Shade Betty’
LAMP SHADE BETTY
LAMP SHADE BETTY
Released in July 2015 (604556 Records DK)
Review:
You are welcome. That’s right I will now be taking 100% credit for introducing you to the next big thing in AOR/melodic hard rock — Lamp Shade Betty. Now I know what you’re thinking — really? These are strong words, but I assure you once you hear the opening lick of the discs opening track “Wake Me Up”, you will be forever grateful in knowing and reveling in Lamp Shade Betty before they get swept up in the main stream of major labels and arena tours.
Lamp Shade Betty hail from St Paul, Minnesota, USA and share an average age of most readers’ kids. Drummer Noah Schriener just celebrated lucky number 18 back in May. While we are doing member introductions, newest member and proficient bottom end supplier i.e. bassist Trey Gust, guitar prodigy Casey Weishaar (no joke if Nuno and Satchmo gets your trousers tight, than Casey will straight up stroke you out) and rounding out this super group of unknowns is swoon worthy lead vocalist Benny Schriener.
I’m not going to beat around the bush on this review. All 11 tracks on this disc are killer, no filler. Its’ simply ridiculous how these youngsters are producing such quality music. Lamp Shade Betty cover the gamut of some of the most proficiently played, heartfelt, well written, hook laden and downright listenable melodic rock in years. A track by track review is futile. Each and every track is a masterpiece of everything I want in a disc and fans of the genre will be clamouring for. For me, “If I Stayed (Looking Back),” “When I See Your Face,” “Back To The Start” and “When I See Your Face” slay me. The musicianship is crazy good and the lyrical prose is well beyond the band’s age. Goose bump worthy indeed.
Lamp Shade Betty, if you can’t follow is frickin’ amazing. The band is as talented and musically proficient as players twice and then some of their age. I am not just speaking to the proficient noodling from guitarist Casey (which is evident all over the internet), but the Schriener brothers — sheesh, one sings like a bird and plays a bad ass rhythm guitar and the other plays a damn complex yet completely befitting rhythmic drum and Trey is a groovy Sheehan-esque bassist. The band can craft a song (11 actually) that not only will appeal to the MIT graduates, the elitists, the hipsters and the critics, but to all those guys’ sisters. The self-titled long play is a definite must for fans of Extreme and Night Ranger, which as with Lamp Shade Betty, are (as we already know) proficient in guitar driven melodically brilliant, hook filled and meaningful written AOR melodic hard rock.
Track List:
01. Wake Me Up
02. Take It All
03. Breakaway
04. Dream About You
05. When I see Your Face
06. If I Stayed (Looking Back)
07. Death By Seduction
08. Set Me Free
09. Take Cover
10. Back To The Start
11. Party At The End Of The World
Band Members:
Benny Schriener – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Trey Gust – bass, backing vocals
Casey Weishaar – guitar, backing vocals
Noah Schriener – drums, backing vocals
Production:
Produced by Jonathan Young
Band Websites:
Official Website
Facebook
Reviewed by Terry Martinson for Sleaze Roxx, June 2016
Lamp Shade Betty‘s “Wake Me Up” video:
Wake Me Up (Official Music Video)
Official music video for our song “Wake Me Up” from our debut album. Filmed live at Red Carpet Nightclub.Directed by: Neil Lommel, Trevor TeschiTunes: https:…