Sharks Keep Moving - Pause and Clause
(Status)
Anyone remember Sharks Keep Moving? Yes? No? Well, last year they made a pretty dope album, which melded some of the better lyrical turns associated with emo music with a keen knowledge of instrumentation and a good ear for melody. Sort of like American Football, you know? In fact, that’s the group I’d most associate their quiet, melancholy sound with. Well, they’re back, and the new EP (the terribly titled Pause and Clause) isn’t half bad, although it’s nowhere near as good as the full length.
It starts with the fairly emo-heavy "Tied to the Tracks." Instead of having the quietly subdued lyrical stylings they presented on their last outing, Sharks has decided to push the vocals up in the mix. This results in a sound that seems far more centered around emotional music than it does the jazz-blended guitar based fusion stuff they were dabbling with on the self-titled album (although there are some tasty moments of that, too). All in all, not a bad song, although I would have pushed the vocals down a bit more.
Next up, and it gets better, the eleven minute beast "Like A River" plays like Del Rey and the Weakerthans in a tornado, with a meandering guitar and drum introduction, eventually breaking into a very confident sounding shuffle. Leader-guy Jake Snider is singing about a girl. This goes on for six minutes, before the song breaks down into static and then goes into an extended instrumental refrain, with hummed vocals and some very pretty guitar work. None of this comes near the sonic excellence of the series of instrumentals on the self-titled, though. Sorry to keep making the comparison, but it’s true. The majority of this EP doesn’t hold up next to it.
However, the last track, which shares the same awful title as the record, is absolutely wonderful. Going from tinny, static-y recordings to full on bombast, it’s a tastefully done instrumental that doesn’t overstay it’s welcome. Easily the highlight of the EP, I wouldn’t have minded if it were the only song. It goes a long way in proving that these guys might go on for awhile, and be remembered, to boot.
So, does anyone remember Sharks Keep Moving? If not, that’s a shame, because they’ve now created two discs with some knockout songs on them. It would be in your best interest to seek this EP out, or, at the very least, find the song "Pause and Clause." You won’t be disappointed.
|
