by staff (@post_trash_)
Tyler Scurlock has been releasing albums as Sharks' Teeth for over seven years, but their latest release is different... the former solo project has evolved into a full fledged band and with it, the sound has evolved too. It Transfers & Grows is more than a clever title, it's nearly a mission statement of an innovative record. Listening to the band's mutant synth pop (described by the group as the sound of "Christmas in space") is a transformative experience. The songs unfold from start to finish, breeding new ideas and manipulated layers into a cosmic blend of indie rock, post-punk, and experimental pop with seven synths and analog samples. The four piece New Orleans band have developed their own unique and warped space boogie over an album that feels like a fresh start, a new beginning.
The video for “Lost In The Cosmos,” one of the album's many stand-out moments, captures the impossibly colorful nature of their sound with equally head trip inducing and nostalgic visuals that come from a place of restoration for director Derek Beck. He shared:
"At the beginning of summer, I was struck by a car on my bike and suffered an AC separation on my left shoulder that would require surgery to fix. During my first month of recovery, I began working on this video to pass the time. I started by experimenting with oil pastels and stop-motion photography. I found a unique effect in pushing the pastel pigment around old photographs and recording the movement frame by frame. The end result is a stop-motion media meld chronicling the last five years of my life through photography.”
It's a fitting sentiment for a song that revolves around someone's battle with depression. As Scurlock sings "for you it's hard to get out of bed" in the hook, the song retains a sense of hope, not from the lyrics but the swirling synths that accompany them. The heartbreaking croon of the second verse's response, "I don't care what its like, you're still my friend, your horrible life is all there is" rings with stark honesty but the words are effective. It's time to get up and live again. Sharks' Teeth understand this, and they're here for you if you need them.
Sharks' Teeth will play November 20th at Saturn Bar in New Orleans with Caddywhompus and Particle Devotion. Watch the video below.
It Transfer & Grows is available now on 12” vinyl via Gigantic Noise and cassette via Community Records.