The fact that today, Sharks' debut album is rarely spoken of as anything more than a footnote to the plethora of hard rock bands spawned by the British blues scene of the late 60's, is a rock and roll crime of the highest order. Formed in 1973 by bassist Andy Fraser (formerly of Free), and British guitar god Chris Spedding, Sharks only managed to release two proper albums during their brief existence, but the ability they show on their debut album is that of a truly remarkable rock and roll band.
Fronted by Snips, who's vocal style sounds something like a young Joe Cocker with a bad case of bronchitis, Sharks blend the aggressive energy of The Who with the loose swagger of the Faces, all the while steeped in the muddy sounds of Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac.
Side one begins with"World Park Junkies", featuring a strut-like groove anchored by Spedding's deep-in-the-pocket riff, and offset by drummer Marty Simon's nearly unbound approach to the kit. This magical combination is what gives Sharks their charm as an unapologetic rock act. When half the band is unified and tight, the other half are just barely with them, and eligible of falling off the wagon at any moment. This is in no way due to a lack of musicianship on the band's part, it stands rather, as proof of just how capable they were. Finding the groove just behind the back beat is no walk in the park, but Sharks had that ability in spades, and the nine cuts on their debut album stand as living proof.
Though the bulk of the material on First Water is penned by Andy Fraser, it's Snips that shows the most promise as a tunesmith. He clearly knew how to write with his voice in mind, as he delivers a bone chilling performance on "Ol' Jelly Roll", moving from a near-ballad delivery to a gut-churning growl by song's end. His "Snakes And Swallowtails" stands as the album's highlight, with a hook that could have garnered the band a hit single, had anyone been paying attention at the time.
By all accounts, a band less than a year in to their existence shouldn't sound this unified or capable. Sharks had all the parts in place to become a truly great rock and roll band, but for one reason or another, they couldn't keep it together. By the time of their second record, Jab It In Your Eye, Fraser had left and been replaced by Busta Cherry Jones, and though it has its moments of enchantment, it falls short of the power portrayed on First Water.
The AllMusic review for First Water labels the band as "son of Bad Company", which may be fair in terms of the groups lineage, but is an inaccurate portrayal of their stature as a rock band. Sharks have found a special home in my record collection over the years, and when in need of a good old fashion rock and roll album to accompany a case of ale, I'll turn to them long before the thought of Bad Company crosses my mind.
Note On Availability: To my knowledge First Water has never been re-issued on CD. Since the album was never a major success, vinyl copies tend to be scarce too. That being said, they remain unknown to most, making those copies that do exist affordable after a little bit of hunting. Good luck!
