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Shark Speed

Sea Sick Music (2009)
self-released

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on June 16th 2009

Shark Speed's Sea Sick Music is an out-of-nowhere (Utah...same thing) debut that apparently reminds me much more of Minus the Bear than most other reviewers. Frankly, it's totally cool, because this is an enjoyable release with wonderful texture and great songs.

Vocalist/guitarist Thayne Fagg sounds pretty much like a quasi-British clone of MTB's Jake Snider, but again, the band isn't even British. Whatever. You're missing the point. This is mildly intricate, dancey math rock that never becomes excessively noodly or self-indulgent, and never actually nods to any particular era of that aforementioned band. It's less atmospheric and indebted to American Football than Highly Refined Pirates, but not as "detached cool" and chilly-sharp as Planet of Ice.

"I'm a Machine" is a superbly bustling, energetic early number where Fagg's impressive vocal range becomes very apparent while he puts forth lyrics just shy of spilling over the top ("I wanna D-E-L-E-T-E Y-O-U from the hard drive of my mind"). A rather well-integrated beat pervades the prickly "Freddy," while "And You Are in the Band?" seems to drive home the pros and cons of "band career" mode through intelligent repetition.

Though the highlights seem to come more early on than later, producing a somewhat top-heavy disc in the process, Sea Sick Music is a notably apt take on a suddenly familiar sound.

STREAM
Every song on Sea Sick Music but "Sea Sick" (seriously, wtf?)

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KamikazePizza (August 15, 2011)

I saw these guys open for Look Mexico and Frank Turner in '09 (I think) in Salt Lake City. I can say that it will remain as one of the most memorable shows that I have ever seen, if only because I had just discovered (and subsequently was going crazy over) Frank Turner not long before I found out he was playing in Utah. I caught him and L.M. at an all ages show and then mobbed over to the 21 show at bar in downtown Salt Lake that same night. If my friend hadn't met up with me for this show, there literally would have been maybe two other people there (not counting the bar staff and the other bands). Seeing as how no one was there and my friend knew Shark Speed's bass player or something (totally random encounter, I'm pretty sure she had no idea he was in a band), they hooked us up with a pitcher of beer. Now, in my book, that's pretty bad-ass. Points to them for being cool guys. Oh yeah, and they were super nice (not just for giving us free beer).
Their live sound was huge and layered. They had pretty diverse instrumentation for your typical rock band and fit in rather nicely with Look Mexico. I was actually pretty damn impressed, if only because I'm pretty sure these are small-town Utah dudes (which no offense to them, but I hated the small-town Utah music scene). Their style was quite diverse; rocking to mellow to full blow orchestral. I think I bought a copy of this album from them that night. I know I own it, but let me just say, that night is hazy, especially after a couple years.
Overall, I'd say these guys are worth a listen. If anything, check out their myspace or whatever they have hosting some music streaming. You might be impressed at what you find. I can't say that I've listened to this album much (maybe only a couple times), but if you somehow found your way to this review, you're probably into underground music and would probably enjoy a solid band that I'm pretty sure not many people know of (for now).