the shy trafficker - hurt seconds

The Shy Trafficker is a math rock band that embraces pathos on an epic scale. On its debut LP "Hurt Seconds" (Ariadne Records 2004), the band carves out an expansive, volatile soundscape that resonates with fans of bands like Explosions in the Sky, The Sea and Cake and Tortoise.

Formed in 2001 by three students at the University of Texas-San Antonio, Shy Trafficker played its first few shows in a placid town known mostly for its raucous role in Texas state history. Like the city of San Antonio, band members Mark Coburn (guitar, vocals), Kenny Day (drums, vocals), and David Irvin (bass) seem quiet and unassuming, more intellectual than intimidating. But onstage, the members of Shy Trafficker shed the mildness, trading it instead for explosive intensity. Shy Trafficker has played shows throughout Texas, with bands such as The Octopus Project (Peek-a-Boo Industries), Oma Yang (Slowdance Records), and Jana Hunter (Fleece Records).

What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, or so the saying goes. In "Hurt Seconds," Shy Trafficker peeks under the bandages and measures its wounds with a ruler, asking the listener to decide whether the painful experiences of life are really worth the pain. The album starts off with an intellectual conundrum and a slew of mathematical song titles, but evolves into a suspenseful quest through the human heart. "W" begins with tension and danger, but moves to a heroic and triumphant, but tragic climax. "Boolean Train II" begins with upbeat, impish guitar lines, but devolves into a song fraught with with peril and dissonance.

Though several members of the band sing on the record, Shy Trafficker lets the music speak for itself on "Hurt Seconds," in the language of muscular bass lines, playful guitarwork, and urgent rhythms.

The record was recorded at and produced by Shy Trafficker at their studio in San Antonio and mastered by Chad Clarke (Fugazi, Q and not U, Black Eyes) at Silver Sonya in Arlington, Va.

hurt seconds