The Prayer Chain has come away from the Whirlpool EP and has blanketed themselves with the Shawl of the Lord. Just as a blanket or afghan envelops one who snuggles within its fibers, this album envelops its listeners. The Prayer Chain is definitely on top of the scene, at least for now, and I wouldn't be surprised if they stayed for a while. Shawl is just proof that The Prayer Chain is a band that can keep on growing and offering their audience music which, while containing the same style, continues to change enough to prevent the danger of pumping out the same thing over and over.
There are many differences between the Whirlpool EP and Shawl. The first major difference is the length. No more EP's for this band-Shawl offers the listeners a total of 12 songs. This doubles what was previously seen in the talents of these four guys as well. The song writing talents, musically and lyrically, are tight. I was very impressed and utterly blown away. Some new influences can be derived from what is heard on this album. I don't know for sure if this is necessarily true (it may vary depending on the ear you have for music and the bands you have been exposed to), but I can pick up tints of U2, Pearl Jam, and The Seventy Sevens. Don't worry, the material is definitely original and the musical style is all The Prayer Chain's.
What can I say? This album is great! If you liked the Whirlpool EP, I'm sure that you will not be disappointed with Shawl.
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