shymirrors.com

Wrong Bomb cassette

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:57:00 +0000

The next Shy Mirrors release is a cassette-only 10-song EP called Wrong Bomb. This is a collection of previously-unreleased stuff from 2012, recorded mostly on 4-track. Mirror Universe Tapes is putting it out in the coming months. Limited to 100 copies. I'll post details exactly how and when you can get it as soon as I have the details.

2xLP Bundle

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 20:04:00 +0000

Both Shy Mirrors LP's could be all yours, for a very nice price - includes an immediate download of both albums! Get it from Big School Records!

Thanks! and a Negative Collector press wrangling

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:59:00 +0000

So, Negative Collector has been out for a little over a month now. I just wanted to take a minute to say Thank You to anyone reading this who has purchased it. This album is really important to me and the fact you'd spend your hard-earned money on it is really amazing. Your support keeps me excited to make more music. And, holy shit, Thanks to Matt at Big School Records for his encouragement and label-boss leadership. Without him this album, and Sailed Blanks, would probably still be sitting on my hard drive.

Here's a round up of what the bloggers and blabbers are saying about it:

When You Motor Away
I Buy WAY Too Many Records
The Fire Note
Wilfully Obscure
What's Protocol
Fabricoh Magazine
GHETTOBLASTER

Negative Collector released today!

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 18:30:00 +0000

Shy Mirrors' second full length, Negative Collector, was released today courtesy of Big School Records. Stoked!

Whatever's clever:
Order the vinyl (includes a download code), buy the download or stream the shit out of it.

See ya!

Negative Collector pre-order

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 17:25:00 +0000

I'm proud to announce that the 2nd Shy Mirrors full length Negative Collector is now available for pre-order on vinyl LP courtesy of Big School Records!!

Wondering what Negative Collector sounds like? Oh, well you can stream the album in its entirety right here!

LPs are limited to 150 black vinyl with screen printed art and include a digital download. Official release date is January 22nd, 2013.

Negative Collector by Shy Mirrors

Negative Collector LP news

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 12:08:00 +0000

Big School records has the test pressings! There's also some more details about the release here. See you for pre-orders next month!

Live set from Chicago now available for download

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 08:43:00 +0000

I've been wanting to post up this soundboard recording from our Chicago show earlier this year for a while. Boom, here it is. You can download this bad boy if you so choose.

Smashed Actor / Argon / Breakout / Dry Cell / Paper Machine / You Begged Me / Track Changes / Face Paint / Flashlight / Sky High / Boy Again / I See it Differently / Reactors

Engineered, mixed and recorded live by Jennifer NW at Township, Chicago, IL April 4th, 2012.

Mike Downey - Guitar/Vocals
Curt Swank - Drums

Tinted Windows from Negative Collector now streaming

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Firstly, the huge awesome news is that the next LP Negative Collector is going to be released on vinyl late 2012 on Big School Records. I'm really stoked to be working with them again and excited to share more news about the release as details firm up.

To hold us over until then, the song "Tinted Windows" is streaming over at soundcloud. If you dig it, pass it along to your friends and help us spread the word.

Thanks in advance for checking it out!

xo
Mike

"Face Paint" recorded live at Township, Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:19:00 +0000

Here's another nugget from the beyond-fabulous Township show we did last month in Chicago. This is a soundboard recording of "Face Paint", mixed and recorded live by one of the smoothest audio engineers I've ever worked with, Jennifer NW. Enjoy!

"Face Paint " - Live at Township, 4/4/12 by Shy Mirrors

Ghettoblaster

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Thu, 03 May 2012 16:39:00 +0000

I did an interview for Ghettoblaster Magazine in their recent issue. Buy it for the picture of my beard, which fell off shortly after the photo shoot and has been missing since. It's available at awesome places, or order direct.

Live videos from Chicago and more pics

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:41:00 +0000

Here's another batch of videos. These are all from the Township show in Chicago. Thanks to Matt from Big School Records for recording these!

And, here's a little flickr set of the pics we collected during the 2 weeks I was in town rehearsing and playing. See ya next time!

Rock shots

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 03:37:00 +0000

Mini tour is over. It was a lot of fun in a lot of ways. We'll get some more live video and pics up once we sort through it. Here's a few which were sent to us...

Third City Sound, Joliet, IL

Township, Chicago, IL

Cactus Club, Milwuakee, WI

Joliet 03.31.12 live clips

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:28:00 +0000

Here's a few clips from the Joliet show...

Jiggety-jig

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:37:00 +0000

Dodging Invisible Rays

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 08:14:00 +0000

I'm learning a bunch of GBV songs now for a GBV cover band show I'll be partaking in. I figured it would be a fine idea to record a song which I'll sing. It also happens to be one of my favorite Tobin Sprout-written songs. Here's Shy Mirrors' version of Dodging Invisible Rays. Head over to Beat the Indie Drum to stream it.

If you happen to be in or around the greater Joliet, Il area on March 31st, make sure to catch Shy Mirrors and the Official Ironman Rally Band at Third City Sound.

Midwest shows!

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:28:00 +0000

Man, time flies. In just a few weeks I'll be headed back to the US and playing the first-ever string of Shy Mirrors shows. These shows will be as a duo, with Curt Swank on drums. I've been tight with Curt since the mid '90s and have always been impressed with his rock solid skills. Check out his band Chew Heart if you have a chance. We're both really looking forward to hitting the road...

+Sat, March 31st, 2012 - Joliet, IL @ Third City Sound w/ The Official Ironman Rally Band

+Tues, April 3rd, 2012 - Champaign, IL @ Mike n' Molly's w/Anna Karenina/Anna Karina, Pree

+Weds, April 4th, 2012 - Chicago, IL @ Township w/ The Treasure Fleet (mbrs of Arrivals, Smoking Popes, Lawrence Arms) - Buy tickets

+ Thurs, April 5th, 2012 - Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club w/ CONTROL, Dinosaur Feathers

Hope to see some of you out there!

Big School Records Mixtape Series

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:04:00 +0000

I put together a mix of some of my favorites for Big School Records' mixtape series. Check it out!

Jersey Beat review and Best Of lists and some shows!

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:10:00 +0000

Yo! I hope everyone's 2012 started off on the right foot. Big things to come from camp Shy Mirrors this year so stay tuned!

First off, we have a couple US dates confirmed for this Spring. There might be another show or two booked in Illinois around this time but these are the definites at the moment:

April 4th - Chicago, IL @ TBA
April 5th - Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club

And, here's a round up of some recent Sailed Blanks press:

Jersey Beat calls Sailed Blanks "radiant". That's fancy.

Wilfully Obscure : 13th on their Top 25 of 2011.

I Buy WAY Too Many Records dot com : 13th on their Absolute Best Records of 2011.

No Love for Ned : 3rd on his Favorite Releases of 2011.

The Dream Comparison : "Face Paint" included on their Best of 2011 mix.

Much appreciated!

Wilfully Obscure reviews Sailed Blanks

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:30:00 +0000

Wilfully Obscure proclaims Sailed Blanks as "perhaps the finest LP of 2011's late-breaking releases". Cool! Thanks!

Read the full review here.

Big Takeover reviews Sailed Blanks

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:54:00 +0000

The first review for Sailed Blanks is in courtesy of The Big Takeover. Written by none other than Big Takeover head hancho Jack Rabid, I think he's into it!

No need to squint so much, here's what it says:

"We’re not used to veteran rockers moving abroad—we’re expect the opposite. Then again, relocating to Sweden makes sense, considering the way Scandinavia has been taking it to us in the rock ‘n’ roll racket. Shy Mirrors is Mike Downey, ex-frontman of Illinois/Parasol Records’ faves Wolfie, National Splits, New Constitution, etc. And going it alone in the land of the Hives, Hellacopters, Shout Out Louds, Sahara Hotnights, etc., he hollers hot, quick-hitting, indie rock with heavier 1977-1981 punk guitars, like The Rich Kids on double the amphetamines covering Negative Trend, or Sebadoh with Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan singing doing The Controllers. Give him two-minutes 11 times, and he’ll bang out a big blast of babyfaced energy with pop hooks like the breakout “Breakout,” or the Ramones-ish “Argon” (beat on this, brats!), that will blitzkrieg your bop in nothing flat. (bigschoolrecords.com)"

Order The Big Takeover #69 here.
Order Sailed Blanks on clear vinyl or digital download.

Sailed Blanks out today

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:46:00 +0000

Sailed Blanks, the debut full length by Shy Mirrors, is now available on vinyl and digital.

Order the 12" on clear vinyl from Big School Records

Download from bandcamp

Stream on Spotify

Also available for download via iTunes and Amazon

Thanks for reading and listening!

Records!

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:40:00 +0000

The LPs arrived just in time for tomorrow's release and are safe in Philly in the hands of Big School Records. Those of you who pre-ordered, they'll be shipped to your doorsteps shortly.

Sailed Blanks is now streaming

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:14:00 +0000

Here we go!

Sailed Blanks is now streaming in its entirety! Go have a listen and pre-order the vinyl if you're so inclined. Pre-orders will be rewarded with a download code ahead of the release date.

LP and digital will be for sale November 8th.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks in advance

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 11:15:00 +0000

When I finished recording and mixing Sailed Blanks in the middle of August I was pretty much set on releasing it myself. You see, I've been at this game for a long time and I've been on a lot of different labels (mostly amazing) and I've played the game, but in the end the game had left a bad taste in my mouth. I like to touch every part of the process; I'm sort of a control freak so self-releasing stuff has been good for me for the most part.

Here's what the album would've been released as, if I had done it myself. A short-run of homemade cassettes would've been the extent of what my budget could've afforded for a physical release.

In two days Sailed Blanks will be available, in full, for streaming. Then a week after that it'll be for sale on vinyl thanks to Matt over at Big School Records. Before it's all officially underway, I just wanted to publicly thank Matt for his encouragement and excitement about putting this album out. Matt was a big supporter of the Reactors EP (2010) on his Beat the Indie Drum blog and his energetic words made me want even more to create more music and get it out to those who were into it.

I would also like to equally thank Ned at Thinking About the Needle for putting out the first Shy Mirrors release out last year. You really inspired me to focus on and grow Shy Mirrors in the beginning when I was completely unsure as to if the songs would ever see the light of day. Ned has featured songs of mine, in many different forms, over the years on his essential No Love for Ned radio show and his continued support has not gone unnoticed.

And finally, thank you to Dan Marsden and Joe Ziemba for their leadership and execution of the design and layout for each of my two Shy Mirrors releases. You guys have been best friends and bandmates since the beginning. I would have never been able to produce the music I dreamt up without your collaboration. As both artists and musicians, you two are the best I know.

See you on Tuesday!

Track Changes

noreply@blogger.com (Shy Mirrors) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:05:00 +0000

We're about a month out from the Sailed Blanks release. Here's the 3rd and final free track from the album, entitled "Track Changes". Hope you dig it! Now go pre-order the vinyl!

Track Changes by Shy Mirrors