Silver Shade

Given all the twists and turns of Peter Murphy’s career over nearly half a century, 2025’s Silver Shade could just as easily have been a relaxed and low-key effort taking stock of time. But the remarkable thing about Silver Shade, his first studio album since 2014’s Lion and like that album produced by another longtime veteran, Youth, is that it shows Murphy still up for explorations and possibilities, not to mention happily still in possession of that strong distinct voice much in the same way Robert Smith similarly has his. As compared to Lion’s almost orchestral rock take, this is often showcasing the most electronic-based work Murphy’s done since the 1998 Recall EP, giving a charge of synth and even industrial rock energy on songs like “Meaning Of My Life” and “Hot Roy.” A couple of songs feature guest vocalists – Trent Reznor adds harmonies on the brisk opening dance punch of “Swoon” while a concluding bonus, “Let The Flowers Grow,” has Murphy and fellow Bowie fanatic Boy George indulging in a Ziggy-era sonic tribute – while Tool’s rhythm section Justin Chancellor and Danny Carey pop up on other tracks.