Welcome to the first instalment of Five From Five – an occasional series for I Love North Shields where local musicians, creators, and community figures pick five influential tracks from five defining albums. For our maiden voyage, we sat down inside Tune Army Records in North Shields to chat with local songwriter Bobby Silver about his new single, ‘Oh Shimmer’, and the eclectic records that shaped its sound.
On first listen, ‘Oh Shimmer’ feels like an instant, easy-going summer driver. It hooks you straight away with bright, upbeat production – anchored by an acoustic guitar riff that rolls continuously beneath the track while the bass and vocals shift around it to build momentum.
Listen a little closer to the lyrics, however, and a much darker contrast emerges:
“Shimmer has gone again / Oh Shimmer / No other gem / Never be proud of here… Couldn’t get out of here even if I was sure of everything.”
Behind its breezy melody lies an exploration of inertia, emotional dependency, desperation, and feeling trapped. While the surface imagery draws on the natural phenomenon of sunlight glinting off the water along our coastline, Bobby weaves in deeper personal and political anxieties – touching on fractured relationships, national disillusionment, and the bittersweet reality of trying to find hope when external circumstances feel bleak.
It’s a classic piece of bittersweet songwriting: a sunny, jangly pop veneer concealing a deep emotional core.
Bobby Silver’s Five From Five
Sitting surrounded by vinyl with Dylan from Tune Army Records, Bobby broke down the five albums and key tracks that subconsciously and consciously fed into the DNA of ‘Oh Shimmer’ and the album he is currently working on, The Gold Coast.
1. Pavement – Slanted and Enchanted (Track: ‘Here’)
Bobby describes ‘Here’ as one of his absolute favourite songs. For him, the appeal isn’t technical virtuosity but emotional weight. “It’s just an absolutely intriguing landmark song,” he notes. The track’s reliance on minimalistic two-finger guitar arpeggios, paired with lyrics like “I was dressed for success, but success it never comes,” set a template for Bobby’s own songwriting: blending sparse, unpolished instrumentation with poignant, often heartbreaking subject matter.
2. Cocteau Twins – Heaven or Las Vegas (Track: ‘Ice Blink Luck’)
The ethereal texture of ‘Ice Blink Luck’ was a direct catalyst for the atmosphere of ‘Oh Shimmer.’ Bobby was particularly struck by how Liz Fraser’s vocal melody “is still moving even when you don’t know what the lyrics mean” – a delicate balance he aimed to capture in his own vocal arrangements.
3. The Zombies – Odessey and Oracle (Track: ‘This Will Be Our Year’)
Discovered via 1980s film soundtracks, this song stands as a masterclass in subtlety. For Bobby, it was a pivotal lesson in restraint: “The way he sings… I think I don’t want to over-sing either. I’m not sure I can anyway, ha!” The Zombies’ ability to convey profound sincerity without vocal acrobatics directly influenced the gentle, conversational lead vocal that defines ‘Oh Shimmer.’
4. Tears For Fears – The Hurting (Track: ‘Pale Shelter’)
As a top-10 album of all time for Bobby, The Hurting represents the perfect marriage of synth-pop energy and psychological depth. ‘Pale Shelter’ was the specific inspiration for the rhythmic drive behind ‘Oh Shimmer.’ Bobby found inspiration in how the track pairs “dry acoustic strums and upbeat tempos” to carry lyrics about emotional turmoil and personal struggle.
5. R.E.M. – Murmur (Track: ‘Laughing’)
Moving past the obvious singles, Bobby highlighted this infectious track for its jangly guitar hooks and summery harmonies. Discovering R.E.M.’s early catalogue opened new doors for him. ‘Laughing’ provided the structural template for ‘Oh Shimmer’s’ driving, melodic pop sensibilities, proving that a song could be musically bright while maintaining a core of mystery-laden, introspective lyricism.”
While Bobby Silver continues to chip away on his full-length album The Gold Coast, you can check out his single ‘Oh Shimmer’, which is out now on all streaming services.
For a great selection of vinyl, head to Tune Army Records, 42 – 47 The Fish Quay @tune.army.records_northshields
