SHINES

SHINES have never been a band content with standing still but this latest double A-side feels like the moment everything clicks into place.

‘Not Your Bastard Son‘ and ‘Break My Heart‘ might sit on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum, yet together they prove the Grimsby four-piece have both the ambition and the songwriting to punch far above their weight.

‘Not Your Bastard Son‘ is the standout statement, opening with a lonely funeral trumpet before swelling into a cinematic wall of strings, it’s a bold, slow-burning anthem that feels as though it belongs on festival main stages. Produced by Adam Featherstone, the track trades indie swagger for orchestral grandeur, allowing Richard Dutton’s brutally honest lyrics to take centre stage. Drawing from his relationship with an absent father, every line lands with conviction, turning deeply personal heartbreak into something universally powerful. Fans of Richard Ashcroft, The Last Shadow Puppets and the more reflective moments of Noel Gallagher will find plenty to lose themselves in here.

Flip the record over and SHINES remind everyone they can still write an indie anthem with the best of them, ‘Break My Heart‘ strips things back to a driving bassline, chiming guitar hooks and a chorus built to echo around packed venues. It’s heartfelt without becoming sentimental, carrying the kind of emotional honesty that recalls early Courteeners or The Enemy, while still sounding unmistakably like SHINES.

What makes this release so impressive isn’t just the quality of the songs but the contrast between them. One is vast, theatrical and emotionally devastating, the other is immediate, melodic and made for arms-around-your-mates singalongs. Rather than pulling in different directions, they complement each other perfectly, showcasing a band refusing to be boxed into one sound.

With a growing reputation for explosive live shows and songwriting that’s becoming sharper with every release, SHINES are making it increasingly difficult to ignore what they’re building. If this double A-side is a sign of what’s still to come, the ceiling for this Grimsby outfit is considerably higher than the venues they’re currently filling.