Sharks
Selfhood
Rise Records
Street: 04.30
Sharks = The Gaslight Anthem + The Clash + Mark Hoppus
There is a certain blissfulness that comes with simple music. UK-based Sharks’ latest release, Selfhood, is a record that reminds me of a simpler time in music. Selfhood showcases solid, upbeat instrumentals from the band, while James Mattock’s low and almost melancholy vocals drift underneath. The contrast of the two keeps listeners interested throughout the album, which seems to play through before you can even grasp it. The pop-rock buildups hit at all the right spots, but seem to overshadow the vocals time and time again. The guitar riffs and pitches on songs like “I Won’t Taint” and “The More You Ask Me, The Less I’m Sure” come in with a surf-rock feel, where the band cuts its timing in half for a mellower chorus. Fitting in with the new age of Rise Records, Selfhood is a sunny day, windows down type of album, perfect for summer. 
–Steve Goemaat