Single Review: Shines – A Certain Place

A Certain Place

The new single ‘A Certain Place’ by Shines takes us in a slightly different direction yet oozes the same high quality that demonstrates their true strength in depth.

Quite simply ‘A Certain Place‘ is a beautiful song, the lyrics are so specific and coherent there has to be some true life in there. “This way  through the trees, and you cut through the field and the steel wire fence – a little bit further now” – so vivid it’s got to be real you would recognise this place if you stumbled upon it from these directions. “Those September skies that close in fast” underline this story and box up what has clearly been a memorable summer for two people – I wonder who…….

Whilst they may have personal connotations these words are relatable to all of us and you don’t need an audio enigma machine to find the meaning.

A dreamy love song signed off in permanent blue with emphasis on the ‘permanent’.

With the words being so powerful it is great to hear the vocals are given centre stage, this said, the tune has a real hook with subtle and catchy bass line and soft drum beat theme throughout.

I’m so pleased this song is getting the single treatment as this was a standout from early demos for me. It has also become a live favourite where the music really builds into the concluding monologue that is the climax of the song.

Coupled with probably the best Shines video to date given its synergy with the lyrics and great cinematography ACP is a great piece of work that clearly means so much to all those connected with the song.

We all need to be at ‘A Certain Place’ this summer to hear this song live.

You can catch Shines at The Spiders Web in Grimsby which is set to an incredible hometown show with local band Elson also on the bill.

Get tickets here: https://www.seetickets.com/event/shines-elson-spiders/spider-s-web/3401422

Read our review from Shines last single ‘Radio On’ here: https://theindiemasterplan.co.uk/single-review-shines-radio-on