Negative Collector
Indie Rock Cafe - March, 2013
"His songs are frenzied, two-minute or less blitzkrieg romps of lo-fi garage rock, punk and pop hooks – a la Superchunk and the The Ramones – delivered with riveting, downstroke power chords, served with a double dose of distortion, and topped off with angst-driven, nasal-like vocals – all of which are aspects of Downey’s signature sound."
Fabricoh Magazine - Feb, 2013
"Are you ever going to stop wearing Chuck Taylors? Are you ever going to stop eating mashed potatoes? No? Then Shy Mirrors is the band for you!"
Wilfully Obscure - Feb, 2013
"The template for Shy Mirrors is an unremitting scuzz-punk surge of blaring distortion and downstroked power chords, holding firm to the time tested, two-minute aesthetic." "As if the fourteen dozen tracks here aren't stupefyingly impressive in their own right, Negative's sheer consistency is the icing on an already scalding hot cake."
The Fire Note - Feb, 2013
"If you are looking for a bunch of gimmicks you have put on the wrong record as Shy Mirrors bring a very authentic fuzzed up noise rock that comes at you in various sounds and speeds while being comparable to pieces of well-loved bands that have come before them."
I Buy WAY Too Many Records - Feb, 2013
"Low Culture may have been the first great record of 2013, but not too far behind was the newest from Shy Mirrors, timeline wise, the 2nd great record of 2013." "Channeling the energy of some of my favorite pop bands of the 90's with amazingly catchy choruses, this is a band that should far exceed the popularity of this limited to 150 copies record."
Sailed Blanks
Loud Loop - Apr, 2012
"Shy Mirrors bridges that gap between laid-back Midwest swagger and clean Euro-centricity. Downey crafts scuzzy lo-fi punk standards that ooze with a sickeningly sweet power pop style on his 2011 album Sailed Blanks. It’s the kind of catchy pop punk one might have found lurking on the Angus soundtrack."
MAXIMUM ROCKNROLL #345 - Feb, 2012
Sailed Blanks included in Ray Lujan's monthly Top Ten
Jersey Beat - Dec, 2011
"Shy Mirrors is proof that hook-laden, pop-fueled punk is universal. I am reeled in with the opening fuzzed-out riff to “Track Changes”, a song that perfectly blends elements of angst and ennui into a gem of an introduction." "Sailed Blanks finds Shy Mirrors fully committed to a combination of muscle and pop sensibility." "the band pushes its sonic boundaries, raging with authentic aggression. Shy Mirrors has snuck in a radiant release just under the wire of 2011."
Big Takeover #69 - Nov, 2011
"Shy Mirrors hollers hot, quick-hitting, indie rock with heavier 1977-1981 punk guitars, like The Rich Kids on double the amphetamines covering Negative Trend. Give them two-minutes 11 times, and they’ll bang out a big blast of babyfaced energy with pop hooks like the breakout “Breakout,” or the Ramones-ish “Argon” (beat on this, brats!), that will blitzkrieg your bop in nothing flat." - Jack Rabid
Wilfully Obscure - Nov, 2011
"listeners will relish the unremitting, power chord maelstrom of uber medodic stunners like "Face Paint" and "Lake Placid Flyer." Things get even fiercer on "I'm Not Around" which recalls the barreling firepower brought on by the likes of the Marked Men and Exploding Hearts." ""Two minute songs, a total blast, and an out-an-out winner. " "Sailed Blanks is perhaps the finest LP of 2011's late-breaking releases."
