As noted in others' reviews, the cover for The Sharks’ second album is shite – possibly gormlessly comic; or worse, just disturbing – and it does little to represent the classy rock and blues inside, especially the gritty vocal of Snips [Steve Parsons] and the fine guitar playing of Chris Spedding. Andy Fraser left Free a second time to form Sparks but had left this band too before the second album, yet that isn't a problem. Opener Just Like a Fever starts as a simple if infectious honky tonk blues with soft harmonising, but Snips’ gravel vocal is mainly a hint breaking out of this sweetish control now and again, thankfully. Second Baby Shine a Light is a little quiet too as a slowish ballad, Snips’ vocal solo but rather soft in the mix. Then third Sun Beat Down funks itself into life and Snips’ growlish croon is foregrounded: think Joe Cocker, and this is as good. But we’ve not hotted up yet with next Rain and Shine fine but slightish, and Kung Fu rather playful instead of gritty. Then sixth, Sophistication, displays just that in the sweet songwriting and singing from Snips, with eighth Cocaine Blues more gentle but stylish performance, Spedding on slide.
In many ways this is all a pleasing but foreplaying journey
to ninth and final track Revolution of
the Heart. This begins as a slow acoustic blues, ex-Audience keyboardist
Nick Judd adding delicate riffs and Spedding with fuzzed inserts. Busta Cherry
Jones provides pounding bass as the whole builds, Marty Simmons laying on the
increasing drums. The guitar with effects solo that takes over is beautiful and
distinct, Snips’ vocal playing through ranges [think Alex Harvey now] in a complementary crescendo. On
my third listen as I write.
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