CD Review: Shark

Sat. June 26th - February Records showcase at The Ideat Village Fest. - Pitkin Plaza (141 Orange St New Haven, CT 06511) - 5 p.m. The Wee Bees 5:40 ish Ghost of Chance 6:15 ish The Tyler Trudeau Attempt. I can't be there :-( But I want to Thank Dan Goodwin and (Formerly Tweefort Records) February Records for turning me on to SHARK ~

On the cover, the image is distorted, dark, muted, and eerie. There is something there, just beneath the surface; it makes you feel uneasy, but you are intrigued.

Shark [band] has captured its essence.

The self-titled debut CD by Joe Mordecai (vocals, guitars and more), John Mordecai (vocals, bass, keyboards and more), and Josh Bleeks (drums) begins with Intro; it’s a parade, a circus parade, a freak show parade, a distorted, dark, muted, eerie parade.

As the cacophony fades, Harmonix lies just below the surface until it is upon you. Shark attacks in a stunningly clever assault until you are unknowingly caught up in the subdued frenzy that has been unleashed in a dark, edgy PopMetal the likes of Brian Jonestown Massacre, Sonic Youth, and Radiohead re-imagined. It’s SludgePop via Ultravox and The Doors. This is a mind-expanding extraordinaire of insane pedal and board effects that have been mastered live. Turducken carries on with a meandering stroll in Gary Numan territory, which suddenly pulls Metallica out of the sea of sound and dives into Classic Metal a lá Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, and Iron Maiden. Shredding, screamo guitar brings impressive use of blistering keyboards as a 2nd lead guitar. But, it’s Joe’s use of the Wah Wah pedal in Feel The Fear… that brings Shark to the surface. A rolling, swelling mass that intrigues you until suddenly it is tearing you apart. Using reverb and voice modulation, the lyrics become secondary to the epic scope of the music. As the piano swims this monster off, you are left floating in wonder and astonishment as to what Shark has done to your senses.

Distorted, dark, muted, and eerie, now that Shark has sunk their teeth in, they proceed to ravage you. (-) is mesmerizing feedback that creates a landscape of beauty in what is usually wince-inducing noise. Musk is a lumbering beast of whirlpool synths that doesn’t let you up for air. Finally the grand, epic, sweeping ARP allows the piano/keyboards to take you into the deep waters and accept that there is something there, just beneath the surface; it makes you feel uneasy, but you are intrigued.

Now you have captured the essence of Shark.