It seems somewhat ironic that a band still in their teens and likely too young to actually shave should have a debut release by the title ‘Cut Myself Shaving’. Still, I’ll let it pass as the Steve Lamacq-backed cassette-only effort was a megalithic noise-rock monster by any standards.
Having launched themselves with a brilliantly dynamic track which features droning vocals and a thunderous bassline bursting into a welter of noise for the chorus and calls to mind classic (albeit criminally underrated and lesser-known) 90s acts like Jacob’s Mouse, Gallon Drunk and Truman’s Water, their latest offering is a bright, breezy and utterly faultless work of alt-rock with a keen pop sensibility of the kind that predates the grunge explosion. Think Dinosaur Jr, think The Pixies. B-side ‘Bin Man’ adds the jangle of The Smiths to the mix, but again, it’s with the heart-rending plaintiveness of J Mascis – and some trumpet action.
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Of course, this is precisely what London has always thrown up via the small-venue, pub-gig circuit, even if history suggests that Camden was simply the spawning ground for trendy bands like Menswe@r, Elastica and Suede.
On the evidence of their releases thus far, Shark Dentist certainly aren’t short on ideas, and evidently determined not to align themselves too closely to any one style. But then, there are only two kinds of music, after all: good, and bad, and this is most definitely good.
Shark Dentist Online
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