Send "Sharks " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Absolutepunk |
 We don't usually review compilations on this website, but I felt it more than necessary to make an exception for Sharks' Velvet Scene/Rise Records debut, The Joys of Living: 2008-2010. The 14-track collection features two old EPs from United Kingdom natives and two new songs, totaling all the music they've officially released. Both the Shallow Waters and Show Of Hands EPs showcase what brought Sharks to relevance on both sides of the pond, while the new tracks give us a taste of what we can expect from one of the better new punk groups on any continent.Sharks' back catalog is solid overall, but certainly is given an identity by its standouts. From the older of the two EPs, Shallow Waters, "Yours to Fear" may be the most impressive track. It has a communal feel with plenty of gang vocals, and the laid-back melody harkens to better times of rock and roll past. A heartfelt, albeit short song, "Yours to Fear" doesn't come in until the later stages of The Joys of Living, but most definitely deserves to be heard. Comparing Shallow Waters to Show of Hands, the former is probably more worthwhile. The rawness of the production value throughout The Joys of Living is one of the most important qualities; music like this wasn't mean to be listened to spit-shined and spotlessly waxed. It was meant to be listened to loudly, in a too-crowded car with your best friends, driving around aimlessly late on a warm night. "It Threatens" and "The Light At the End of the Tunnel Is Hell" from Shallow Waters exemplify that attitude wholeheartedly, but Sharks' best song is taken off the Show of Hands EP....full text |
| Killyourstereo |
| Hailing from an unknown town called Leamington Spa near Birmingham in the UK, relative newcomers Sharks have had their share of joys in the past few years. Having caught the attention of bands like Gallows and The Gaslight Anthem with just two EP releases, and recently snagging a spot on the Rise Records roster, they’ve already shown themselves to be a pretty impressive bunch of lads. “The Joys of Living” features all of Sharks’ material that has been released thus far including their two EPs “Shallow Waters” and “Show Of Hands”, their single “Common Grounds”, as well as two brand new tracks. Put simply, Sharks offer some good-old, heartfelt rock n’ roll with an catchy punk edge. The rough-around-the-edges recording definitely adds a vintage charm to a sound which is largely influenced by old school rock music, specifically 1980s punk and post-punk. Frontman James Mattock’s voice is hugely reminiscent of The Clash’s Joe Strummer, adding a particular element of nostalgia. The guitar hooks tend to be simple and jangly, like The Clash or The Smiths, while the lyrics are arousing and insightful. The two brand new tracks, which open up the record, showcase Sharks’ talents well. “Sweet Harness” has a certain Gaslight Anthem feel to it, featuring some rich, bluesy rock guitars and an epic chorus. The title track “The Joys of Living” displays this band’s penchant for doing things a little out of the ordinary. Furious drums and chaotic, indie guitars are accompanied by a harmonica part which would sound at home on a Bob Dylan song. The track at one point also incorporates an unexpected ska interlude, reflecting this band’s eclectic influences. The first part of the release is Sharks’ “Show Of Hands” EP, which features some killer tracks. “Trains” has a catchy, driving chorus while “More Blue” and “Capital Youth” have some of their grittier riffs. The latter part of the release is their debut release “Shallow Waters”, which I feel is still their strongest material to date. “Yours To Fear”, which opened that record, is a totally anthemic number. It opens with a spine-tingling chorus of voices, a great piano melody and some big drums which evolve into a cracker of a tune. “Fallen On Deaf Ears” and “It Threatens” are amongst their more upbeat and fast offerings, and “Bury Your Youth” boasts some chaotically intricate guitar picking which are akin to riffs from the likes of Foals. The closer “The Light at the End of the Tunnel” nicely sums up Sharks’ angsty, nihilistic punk manifesto (in an oh-so-catchy way) – “Nothing for us to do but keep on digging this hole for ourselves, until our very souls will burn deep beyond the gates of no return.”...full text |
| Lmpmagazine |
| For one of their latest releases, Rise Records has extended a hand across the ocean to the UK. The Joys Of Living is a collection of songs from the past couple years by a rock band called Sharks. Knowing that these guys were picked by the Gaslight Anthem for tour support, it wasn’t too hard to guess what kind of sound to expect from this compilation. The Joys Of Living is very much a rock ‘n roll album with an old texture surrounding it. By this, I mean that it doesn’t sound like the kind of music this genre holds today. It’s like a blast from the past; early 90′s and older, actually. While this classic sound will appeal to many, there are those that will find problems with the often slurred vocals. Still, the grooves here are quite solid and memorable, albeit not necessarily special. This is not an extraordinary release, but neither is it a poor one. It really depends on your love of rock and its earlier roots. Sharks have a punk coating to them that is definitely admirable, whether its the garage-like recording or the laid back approach in performance that you find most appealing. The Joys Of Living is a good introduction, but more heads will turn when an album of new material is actually released. It’s quite obvious at times that some of these songs are older than others, which can be distracting. However, upon hearing it this multiple times, one can easily assume that Sharks will explode their next time around. (Stream “Sweet Harness”) – by Nathaniel Lay...full text |
Sharks lyrics
|
| |||||||
