An underground, nostalgic roots rock act.
Shoulders is an alternative rock band based in Austin, Texas. Formed by Michael Slattery and Todd Kassens in 1986, Shoulders is noted for its “drunken carnival music” and riotous live performances. Ira Robbins of Newsday wrote, “the raucously amplified acoustic group - imagine a street band celebrating Mardi Gras, Halloween and St. Patrick's Day simultaneously - stoked its bonfire with Kurt Weill and sea chanteys alike; its literary lyrics ran the gamut from Hemingway to Hammett.” In the early 1990s, Shoulders with French label Musidisc released Trashman Shoes and The Fun Never Stops to radiant reviews and expanding audiences won through tours of Europe and the U.S. By the 21st century, the band rarely performed. But in 2013 Shoulders released the appropriately titled Another Round, and in 2016, released CENTAUR (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack). In 2023, Shoulders marked the 30th anniversary of Trashman Shoes and The Fun Never Stops with remastered versions, plus the release of Dancing With the Eight Ball, songs culled from Shoulders' 1988-1993 recording sessions. Now, in the fall of 2026, the band celebrates the release of the album Beauty in the Arms of Pain, a collection of 14 new and, as always, original songs.
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Shoulders plays an eclectic blend of roots rock, blues, and dark cabaret often described as drunken carnival music.
Shoulders is based in Austin, Texas, where they formed in 1986.
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