Saturday 3 November 2012

Sharkmuffin - The Lake

Single review by KevW


We daren't speculate on what a Sharkmuffin is or what the name means, instead let's focus on what we do know. Sharkmuffin are from Bushwick (hope the cleanup's going OK guys) and have had a troubled past involving love, drugs and ultimately loss which saw the demise of the band's original line-up before they'd even really had time to get started. This year has seen a rebirth, with the group now consisting of the trio of singer/guitarist, Tarra Thiessen, bassist, Natalie Kirch, and drummer, Drew Adler. This first single by the band deals with the problems and trials experienced previously, and as such is quite moving.

Musically we're looking at punky and melodic powerpop that's shrouded in a mist of fuzz and distortion. It could have been recorded at just about any point since the late 70s, but they manage to keep it fresh and modern. You could also compare Sharkmuffin to the grunge and riot grrrl scenes of the 90s; there's a hint of early Hole to 'The Lake'. On the surface it seems like a decent DIY rock track but the lyrics and the delivery suggest that this is no innocent thrashing. Talking in particular about the struggle with addiction it might not be the happiest of subjects but it's treated with pure passion and care. 'The Lake' works on two levels; it's a great garage-rock track but it has a deep emotional undercurrent that means Sharkmuffin are as real as they come.



Sharkmuffin's website

'The Lake' will be available on November 20th from Sugar Mama





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