Based in Oakland, CA, The Shants are an understated four-piece who use the low-key elements of Crazy Horse and Pavement as their canvas. Recorded in one or two takes, Russian River Songs is a genteel affair, with sub-par production and loose arrangements that occasionally meander into psychedelic territory. The tunes are punctuated by the off-key and apathetic vocals of Skipp Allums, the laid-back approach of the rhythm section (Carver Cordes of The Dedications and Adam Burstein on bass and drums respectively).

The bio compares them to Richard Buckner, Whiskeytown and Son Volt, but in my view listeners would have a hard time picking these influences. Instead, you'd be looking at the lo-fi explorations of Beck, the occasional vocal stylings of Gomez and the cinematic soundscapes of Japancakes - albeit with half-arsed production.

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