Press
Cuddly Shark: The Punisher of IV30 (ARM03)
Subba-Cultcha (Single of the Month)
http://www.subba-culture.com/singles.php?id=17
Arty and angular, Cuddly Shark possess some sharp hooks and a dark post-punkintensity - like Birthday Party being thrown down some stairs with Wire, it definitely warrants your attention now, hell, maybe even your allegiance!
The Plastic Ashtray
http://www.theplasticashtray.co.uk
The first thing about this release that catches me off guard is what itunes detects the tracklisting as. Yes have you heard of “Christine Lavin And Bleeding Heart Liberal Singers”? Hell no, me neither but once you get around the fact this is 'Cuddly Shark' and that indeed is a name nearly as daft, you are left listening to some fine, disjointed rock. Taking their reference points from the wiry yet angular Fugazi, the tongue in cheek fun of Presidents Of United States Of America & Shellac type ‘band recorded loud in a room’ sound, Cuddly Shark could be guilty of ticking all the right boxes!
‘Punisher Of The IV30’ sounds like what Young Knives would have sounded like if they had traded geekdom for good old fashioned fist fighting as children. The jolting guitar work and aggressive performance shows a band with real dynamics. There’s almost a Pixies style simplicity to their music yet rhythmic and aggressive. ‘Hails Of Bay’ is a blues stomp with some excellent drumming and accompanying Country fun. It’s kind of Primus, only with melody! Is ‘Hails Of Bay’ a joke? The faux country boy vocals give it away but really this is a really good tune. ‘Jamie Foxx On Later With Jools Holland’ is an ode to indulgence and weighing in at 52 seconds it barely begins before it’s over. “I heard you sing the worst song i’ve ever heard”. The building aggression kicks in and it’s over.
Jamie Foxx sucks, Cuddly Shark Rule. OK? This band have huge potential with their Agitated-fun-time-rock. Get listening to them now.... go on!
Pete Stanley
Is This Music?
http://www.isthismusic.com/cuddly-shark
Elgin! That’s IV30, presumably home of this rather angry-sounding trio. If you’ve been to Elgin this may be understandable. Who they’re punishing is unclear but they’re like early-album Wire, or Mclusky - hollering “look at me!” like a ADD teen with a bottle of Sunny D in one hand and an AK47 in the other.
‘Hails of Bay’ on the other hand is a song as silly as its title with a mock Tennessee accent, so it’s left to the brilliantly titled ‘Jamie Fox On Jools Holland’, a spittle-flecked rant which repeats “I heard you sing the worst song I ever heard” for its entire 45 seconds. Class.
????
Bernhard Bessing
Kruger Magazine
http://www.krugermagazine.com/content/view/1461/10992/
Cuddly Shark are a Glaswegian trio who currently have no gigs outside of Scotland scheduled, which is a shame as I find them somewhat intriguing. The single, IV30 (their postcode) is very Fall-esque and has obvious influence from the Eels which actually works rather well. B-side Hails of Bay is some of the best walking music I've ever heard (to the extent that you don't want to stop for traffic lights) and with its Johnny Cash element and tongue-in-cheek, jaunty vocals it has an oddly immediate likeable quality. Final B-side, the 52 second long Jamie Foxx on later with Jools Holland is just the repetition of I heard you sing the worst song I ever heard but with no hint of pretension it’s just rather funny and, I’ll be honest, genuinely made me smile.
Si Truss
Comfort Comes
http://comfortcomes.com/?page=reviews
"I heard you sing the worst song I ever heard" claims Cuddly Shark on the b-side of the single "Jamie Foxx on Later With Jools Holland." Cuddly Shark are a new new three piece who hail from Glasglow. This being their debut single is a loud and raucous three tracks. "The Punisher of IV30" sounds a lot like the cousin of McLusky. Loud and bashing guitars combined with that half loud talking/screaming vocal it makes for a loud experience. Usually on singles we leave the bsides on alone but here they are worth mentioning."Hails of Bay" is just so strange, it sounds like a country song done by Fugazi. The aforementioned "Jamie Foxx on Later With Jools Holland" will certainly become one of those one minute classic. Cuddly Shark is certainly one to keep an eye on their brand of that post punk and their sense of humor at times is a great addition to anyones library.
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8/10
John Siwicki
Daily Record
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/entertainment-catch-all/2008/02/01/sound-check-cuddly-shark-and-black-arrows-86908-20305648/
The debut single from a Highland trio now living in Glasgow. There's a brilliant blend to their music. While they have the punk strut of The Stooges, The Cure and The Cramps there's also the musical expanse of Fugazi and the humour of early Roxy Music. The Punisher of IV30 refers to the Elgin post-code where the band - two guys and a lassie - grew up. It kicks off with the punch of a lower chord punk drone and the lyric: "I've been looking for you/I'm going to find you". What could be yet another new wave jangly anthem then turns into the blistering funk rock of Fugazi. Hails of Bay has a country rambling rhythm, cliched western singing and lyrics like: "I wish my wife was as dirty as my van". It's like a Mick Jagger solo tune with humour. Final tune Jamie Foxx on Later With Jools Holland keeps up the humour. It's only 48 seconds long and starts with the creeping menace of bass, guitar and drums pounding further and further into ecstasy before a shouted repeated lyric: "I heard you sing the worse song I ever heard". Brilliant. Just for that they deserve to be on the show itself.
Rick Fulton
Die Shellsuit Die
http://www.dieshellsuit.co.uk/article_detail.asp?rID=2189
This is weird. If you don’t like weird music, then this isn’t for you. It’s pretty good weird though, I reckon. Not the kind of weird that feels forced and embarrassing, but the kind that feels quirky and endearing. Cuddly Shark don’t try to be weird, I don’t think, they just are. And that’s a good thing.
I like track two (“Hails of Bay”) best, with its country and drugs tinged tale of a van driver gone a little bit wrong.
They don’t really sound like anyone else, but there are definitely hints of Primus, the Dead Kennedeys and Ween, to name but a few. Click the myspace, you know you want to.
7 out of 10
Will Slater
MusicOMH
http://www.musicomh.com/singles/cuddly-shark_0308.htm
There is something so rudimentary about Cuddly Shark that you almost end up hating them for not even trying. However, The Punisher Of IV30 has something so completely unhinged about it that you can't help but love it.
Essentially sounding like the kind of thing most bands would knock out whilst tuning their instruments Cuddly Shark trade on simplistic riffs and sharp clipped vocals. Punisher sounds a little bit like Pavement in places, rumbling along with no real idea where it's going before hitting a truly psychotic break that finds the band indulging in some kind of sonic fit. Basically nothing much happens from the first chord to the last, but the enthusiasm and immediacy of the band make for an oddly enjoyable listen.
B-side Hails of Bay takes a stroll through Country tinged parody that flies close to Ween during their 12 Golden Country Greats period or Faith No More's RV.
Things are rounded off with the oddly titled Jamie Foxx on Later With Jools Holland, a quick blast which lets us know that Mr Foxx performed the worst song Cuddly Shark ever heard on Jools, which is pretty impressive seeing as Jools insists on playing with his guests. This is such a diverse collection of songs it is quite hard to discern quite what Cuddly Shark are all about. But seeing as each of these songs is a little gem in their own right; that hardly seems to matter.
Sam Shepherd
The Skinny
http://www.skinnymag.co.uk/content/view/6682/202/
Glasgow-based Highlanders Cuddly Shark may sound a bit mid-’90s with their flat guitars and slacker ethos, but The Punisher of IV30 a reference to their old Elgin postcode - is a likeable, quirky diversion from the serious world of mass-market music.
Nick Mitchell
Neon Buzz
From the very first note, these Fugazi-alike Scots have certainly made their impression on this intriguingly catchy debut single. ‘The Punisher of IV30’ and it’s jerky punkish stop-start riffs are a fantastic combination once paired with the yelpy angst-ridden vocals scattered throughout this striking song. As the instruments work together in harmony (or should that be anti-harmony?), it is clear that this is a band to look out for, and an NME love-affair is almost certainly on the cards.
The furious delivery and pace in which Cuddly Sharks' lyrics are screeched, sung and spoken make this somewhat nihilistic single an altogether favourable one. With their energized awkward guitar fret-picking of ‘The Punisher of IV30’ tied with the dreadful, slow-paced failed attempt at Tenacious D style humour of ‘Hails of Bay’, the perplexed listener is left in shock, desperately wishing for the blistering punk brilliance of the aforementioned A-side to return. The final B-side, entitled ‘Jamie Foxx on Jools Holland’ is only a 52 second, somewhat angsty piece of throwaway punkish shouts, but it offers a delightful alternative to the appalling ‘Hails of Bay’, whilst still not quite reaching the standard of this single's standout track and A-side.
It is evident that whilst Cuddly Shark offer a slice of punk pie brilliance, their back catalogue doesn’t quite make the cut. Despite presenting a talent for writing spiky riffs that the current music scene is undoubtedly lacking, it is clear that Cuddly Shark have a long way to go. It’s not to say that they’re not firmly on their way, but it’s a long and windy road ahead.
Room Thirteen
http://www.roomthirteen.com/cgi-bin/cd_view.cgi?CDID=7477
Cuddly Shark are a 3 piece from Scotland that deliver dark and discordant punk edged indie that falls somewhere between the Pixies and early Talking Heads.
‘The Punisher of IV30’ is a pretty uber cool track that bemoans the area in which two of the band grew up. It’s mid-paced but it has that sense of urgency and rawness that the first new wave bands had in the late 70s.
‘Hails of Bay’ by comparison is a bit crap really; I’m sure it’s supposed to be funny with the imitation American accent and it’s ‘Country meets the Velvet Underground’ feel but it’s just all rather annoying and it takes some will power not to turn it off before the end. ‘Jamie Foxx on Later with Jools Holland’ is thankfully far better despite it only lasting for about 20 seconds! Cuddly Shark clearly have enough presence about them to make an impact and for their first foray into the studio this is an impressive beginning, the real judgement though will come on the strength or otherwise of a full length release.
9/13
Andrew Latham
Entertainment Manchester
http://entertainmentmanchester.com/music/single-reviews.htm
Scottish (IV30 is the Elgin post-code where they all grew up) country-punks Cuddly Shark's debut single is certainly edgy and uncompromising and there's definitely a quirky and offbeat charm to them and their very-stripped down and angular approach to rock music.
The Mag
http://www.the-mag.me.uk/Articles/Cuddly-Shark-The-Punisher-
of-IV30-EP/
Capturing the gui-bass sound of The Presidents of the United States of America, the slacker rock of The Pixies and the eclecticism of both, Cuddly Shark stab the guitars into the excellent pie that is their debut and pull them out to reveal plums of the headstocks.
It all kicks off with the postcode-tastic 'The Punisher of IV30', which showcases a fantastic band in their element. From the individual tone of each instrument to the production values to the songwriting, everything falls into place to create an awesome track.
The b-sides are just a step too far into novelty territory for a band that could be seriously impressive; faked accents and wobbly stylistic humour don't add or build on the great work of the a-side stunner.
Cuddly Shark definitely need to make more studio trips to gather an LP together, but it's a great first effort. Catch them live during March at various locations across Scotland.
New Noise
http://www.new-noise.net/singles/08-march-2008_3854.html
As befits the contradictory nature of the band name this lot can bark like a nutcase at a bus stop but then freshen it up with some bluesy guitar to create a wilfully idiosyncratic single. Listen on and it’s clear linear song writing isn’t on the menu.
Rob McCrae
To Hell With...
http://www.tohellwith.co.uk/html/display_selection.php?section=2&contentID=1865
Hailing from the highlands of scotland this is cuddly shark’s debut single, and it presents their charmingly awkward lo-fi punk rock (with a dash of country thrown in) much like husker du, presidents of the usa & ween, it’s dorky rock with a sense of humour. 52 second b-side ‘jamie foxx on jools holland’ lambasts foxx’s appearance in typically punk fashion.
Jon Oliff
Gigwise
http://www.gigwise.com/contents.asp?contentid=41306
Debutants Cuddly Shark sound like a cross between the 80s Matchbox B-Line Disaster and a bear-baiting mountie. On ‘The Punisher of IV30’ loud and smashing guitars accompany the riotous ‘Look at me/Look at him/Look at me’ come-on-have-a-go-if you-think-you’re–hard enough stare. The B-Side, ‘Hails of Bay’, is a country/slapstick affair with drug-laced lyrics and nod a long beat. ‘I’m just a man/I got my van’, Colin Reid slurs, if the van makes it out of Glasgow I’ll take up animal-baiting myself.
Alastair Thompson
ShadowPlay
http://www.geocities.com/alexowl26/feb08.html
Cuddly Shark cleanse us with some hard-hitting Husker Du style angular rock.
Alex Lawson
Playing Out Loud
http://www.playingoutloud.co.uk/playing_out_loud_reviews.htm
This 3-track CD is an odd mix of do-it-yourself White Stripes-style rock, experimental punk and rye Scottish humour from a Glasgow-based threesome. The title number is a decent enough ode to the band's Elgin roots, but the other two tracks, including the 52-second 'Jamie Foxx on Later With Jools Holland' in which singer Colin Reid simply repeats the line "I heard you sing the worst song I ever heard" are really just plain daft.
Martin Sirl
Music-Dash
http://www.music-dash.co.uk/releases/release.asp?item=5140
Glasgow based outfit Cuddly Shark slam out their irreverent post rock music via the strains of abused, clean channel guitars. It’s the flat but hammered bass line and a drummer capable of beating his skins to hell and back that keep “The Punisher of IV30” together. As Colin Reid barks out another vocal clip , you can hear various influential slices of The Fall amongst other things. They get dangerously near to the oddball blues of Alabama3 on “Hails Of Bay” which is slightly worrying. Finally “Jamie Foxx on Later with Jools Holland” is an amusing riposte to the Hollywood actor that thankfully lasts mere seconds. Cuddly Shark are palatable but without much on the way of knock out ideas - it’d have been nice hear something completely different for a change and Cuddly Shark could most probably have delivered that.
MMM
Manuel Ecostos
Blues Bunny
http://www.bluesbunny.com/tabid/122/xmmid/474/xmid/682/xmview/2/default.aspx
It doesn't matter how far you are away from where it's happening (Cuddly Shark are from Elgin, hence the IV30 postcode), you get the same influences as the big city bands. So here we have a deranged bit of indie rock called "The Punisher of IV30". All the good stuff is here - half shouted vocals and power chords - and the band seem determined to get your attention with this one. Curiously though, it seems rather dated but it sure did shake the room.
"Hails of Bay" goes a bit weird in the vocal department making you think that David Byrne had decided to enjoy the fresh air of the North of Scotland whilst convincing himself that he is spiritually in Tennessee and thus has to affect a suitable accent to fit in. The lyrics have a Beefheartian insanity unless you have spent time in the company of a roadie and then they will make perfect sense. It's oddball but it really works.
"Jamie Foxx on Later with Jools Holland" is an angry 52 second rant apparently aimed at self indulgence. Well, at least it does not overstay its welcome…
3/5
Get Ready to Rock
http://www.getreadytorock.com/reviews2008/single_reviews0108.htm
Cuddly Shark serve up a platter of US influenced discordant garage rock of the Lou Reed / Iggy Pop variety, delivered with a John Lydon spittle. It's aggressive, and times an uncomfortable listen.
Pete Whalley
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