"Shadow Music" is the fifth rock album by British instrumental (and sometimes vocal) group The Shadows, released in 1966 through EMI Records. Known for their distinctive instrumental rock that characterized British popular music in the early 1960s, The Shadows were well-regarded for their brilliant guitar work.
The album includes twelve tracks, featuring a mix of group-composed songs and a few selected cover versions. This was common with many Shadows releases, signifying their ability to adapt to contemporary and varied music styles. It opens with the track "I Only Want To Be With You", a well-known song written by Mike Hawker and Ivor Raymonde.
"Shadow Music" follows their usual instrumental rock genre but additionally incorporates aspects of pop. This particular album pursues a more robust rhythm and blues influence, diverging slightly from their earlier rock 'n roll sound. Nonetheless, the signature Shadows' sound, characterized by Hank Marvin's lead guitar, is still very much present. An interesting feature about this album is that it includes few group-composed songs, a departure from their usual style.
Upon release, it received mixed reviews yet charted fairly well, peaking at No. 5 in the UK Album charts, confirming their popularity in the UK. Despite not achieving the same overwhelming success as some of their previous works, "Shadow Music" serves as a significant marker of the Shadows' evolution as a band.
