Selfhood

Last updated

Selfhood
Sharks - Selfhood cover.jpg
Studio album by
Released29 April 2013 (2013-04-29)
RecordedNovember–December 2012
Genre Punk rock, alternative rock
Length30:45
Label Rise, Velvet Scene
Producer Lewis Johns
Sharks chronology
No Gods
(2012)
Selfhood
(2013)

Selfhood is an album by British punk rock band Sharks, released in the UK on the 29 April 2013 and in the United States on 30 April 2013. [1] The Japanese edition features five bonus tracks (four demos of album tracks and one cover, 'My Drug Buddy', originally by The Lemonheads). [2]

Contents

In September 2012, Sharks began recording demos for a second studio album, which they hoped to finish writing by the end of the year. [3] [4] According to Mattock the band was "focusing on getting the best songs we can [..] out there as quickly as possible". [4]

Recording for the new album, produced by Lewis Johns at the Ranch, Southampton, [5] started on 26 November 2012 and was completed within two weeks. [6] [7]

According to James Mattock, "The whole approach with this record from the beginning was to have the process be very reckless and fun, and for every decision and idea not to be pondered on or over thought". He also said that he had written "most of the lyrics in a room above a morgue in [...] an old Victorian building with no heat, running water, or bathroom", and that these were "the most intimate and personal songs I've written - thus Selfhood is the most fitting title." [8] Mattock has also explained that Billy Childish's literature had influenced his writing on Selfhood and that one of the songs, 'Pale', was about Childish. [9]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Alternative Press Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
Big Cheese Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
Kerrang! Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [12]

Big Cheese magazine gave Selfhood 4/5 stars and declared it "a classic before its time and another winner", [13] while Alternative Press magazine, which also gave Selfhood 4/5 stars, praised Sharks' "skill with their classic source material" and called the album "a time capsule for musical Anglophiles of the '70s and '80s - and a virtual primer for anyone who missed them." [14] Kerrang! magazine, on the other hand, while still giving the album 3/5 stars, thought that Selfhood was "a slow burn affairs, rather than a petrol bomb through the window, but there's still fire here." Moreover, with this latest album Sharks had moved "squarely into indie-rock territory - more The Smiths than Strummer's gang [The Clash]". [12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by James Mattock and Andrew Bayliss, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Selfhood"2:21
2."Your Bloody Wings"2:37
3."Portland"2:28
4."I Won't Taint"3:15
5."The More You Ask Me, The Less I'm Sure"3:14
6."Sunday's Hand"2:13
7."22"2:59
8."Pale"3:04
9."Gold"2:48
10."Room With A Grey View"2:43
11."My Wild One"3:53
Total length:30:45
Bonus tracks on Japanese release [2]
No.TitleLength
12."Selfhood (demo)"2:21
13."Portland (demo)"2:30
14."Sunday's Hand (demo)"2:44
15."My Wild One (demo)"3:34
16."My Drug Buddy" (written by The Lemonheads)3:02
Total length:13:31

Personnel

Band
Production

References

  1. "Selfhood - release details".
  2. 1 2 "Selfhood - Japanese bonus tracks".
  3. Sharks (19 September 2012). "We're heading into the studio tomorrow to record some demos for album number 2!". Twitter . Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  4. 1 2 Wallace, Emma (14 August 2012). "Interview: Sharks". Crossfire. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
  5. "Loud Magazine interview with Sam Lister, 2012-10-21". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  6. "Lewis Johns at The Ranch". Facebook. 21 November 2012. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  7. "BWW Music World interview, 6 March 2013".
  8. "BWW Music World interview, 6 March 2013".
  9. "Decorated Youth interview". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  10. Dan LeRoy (June 2013). "Sharks, Selfhood". Alternative Press .
  11. Tom Williams (June 2012). "Sharks, Selfhood". Big Cheese .
  12. 1 2 Mark Sutherland (1 May 2013). "Sharks, Selfhood". Kerrang! magazine.
  13. Tom William (May 2012). "Sharks, No Gods". Big Cheese .
  14. DanLe Roy (May 2013). "Sharks, Selfhood". Alternative Press .