I do some work at the local college radio station. It’s almost as sweet a gig as the whole blog thing. Here’s how it works: labels and artists send us unbelievable quantities of CDs and beg that we play them. We listen to most of it, and the best stuff goes on rotation. The rest…never really gets listened to, unfortunately, and it just ends up in a big, unloved bin. Periodically I’ll go through it and check out what falls through the cracks. And lord have mercy, I would hate to see the crack that Joe Gideon and the Shark slipped through. It’s got to be a serious crack indeed to be big enough for Joe Gideon’s balls to slip through.

I’m already embarrassed by that metaphor so let’s move on. Joe Gideon and the Shark are this brother/sister duo from London who used to be in Bikini Atoll. Nowadays they play minimalist alternablues story songs. I’m not lying about it being stripped down – most of the time you’re only going to hear a grungy bass, a drum kit, and an amazing story about a journey through life or sharing a moment backstage with Ray Charles. The lyrics really are outstanding, by the way:

Was a writer, musician, fishmonger, politician
I went all spastic like Lars von Trier ;
Wrote a book which was a spectacular success
Spent all earnings on weed and crystal meth

Think Nick Cave if he fired the Bad Seeds and brought in the White Stripes as his backing band. In fact, the internet seems to have informed me that they toured with Nick Cave, and if so, then well done to them. Here’s a couple of their songs. Thing is, I don’t really expect them to be a big success, certainly not due to this blog posting. Their best songs are long journeys through life. It’s not the kind of thing people are used to enjoying via music blogs or Hype Machine or what-have-you. But I like it. And man, I really want more people to like it too.

Joe Gideon and the Shark – “Johan Was a Painter and Arsonist”
Joe Gideon and the Shark – “DOL”
Joe Gideon and the Shark – “Civilisation”

You can buy their music at the label’s website.

Browse Timeline

• « I Would Royal Deluxe Your Socks Off
• » All Robots Do is Make Disco

Comments ( 2 )

Add a Comment