About what should be expected from a DeSoto band, Shiner delivers intricately-arranged angular riffs and rattling bass lines. "Surgery" and "Play Dead" stand up to any decent track by Jawbox, while the title song builds on an arpeggiated riff with a somewhat movie soundtrack drama. The interplay between the eerie keyboard wail and intermittent guitar clangs make "Top Of The World" memorable, but the three-way guitar battle of instrumental "Andalusia"**** clarifies what takes center stage with Shiner. "Pills"**** builds and dissipates a groove with a cool indiscernible guitar riff. The best tracks though are the stately and melodic opening track "The Truth About Cows"****, and its bookend "Spook The Herd", which ends with all the drama and bombast of Pink Floyd's "In The Flesh". Though these seminal tracks aren't plentiful, the consistent skill of arranging and executing helps the album out-Jawbox some of their forerunner's albums.
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