The posthumous release of Shellac’s final album ‘To All Trains’ comes nine days after the death of their iconic lead guitarist and acclaimed audio engineer, Steve Albini. Albini, who passed away due to a heart attack on May 8 at his Chicago studio, was known for producing some of the most groundbreaking albums in rock music, including Nirvana’s ‘In Utero’, Pixies’ ‘Surfer Rosa’, and Manic Street Preachers’ ‘Journal for Plague Lovers’, among others. Albini was also a part of Shellac since their formation in 1992 and played an instrumental role in the band’s success.
Shellac’s latest album is their first in a decade and was released after being first announced in March of this year. The album was recorded in four blocks, each spaced several years apart, spanning from November 2017 until March 2022. The tracklist for ‘To All Trains’ includes ten songs, starting with ‘WSOD’, followed by ‘Girl From Outside’, ‘Chick New Wave’, ‘Tattoos’, ‘Wednesday’, ‘Scrappers’, ‘Days Are Dogs’, ‘How I Wrote How I Wrote Elastic Man (cock & bull)’, ‘Scabby The Rat’, and concluding with ‘I Don’t Fear Hell’.
Since Albini’s passing, several musicians have come forward to pay tribute to him. Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl dedicated ‘My Hero’ to Albini during a recent Charlotte show, reminiscing how their friendship and working relationship spanned over several decades. Bands such as Yourcodenameis:milo also shared fond memories of Albini, calling him a ‘punk and production legend’ who mentored them during their sessions with him. Jarvis Cocker, PJ Harvey, and The Cribs, among others, also expressed their profound sadness at the loss of Albini, whose music and presence in the industry have impacted and influenced many.
The release of ‘To All Trains’ brings to a close Shellac’s long and storied career, following Albini’s passing. However, the album serves as a testament to the band’s legacy and a fitting tribute to Albini, whose influence in the industry continues to be felt long after his passing
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