Sharks and Minnows - The Cost of Living

The Cost of Living is another example of a CD that I have had for months and really enjoy yet am having a hard time writing about. Other journalists have cited Sharks and Minnows’ move from a pop-punk or emo sound to a more developed and mature sound, but this album marks my first encounter with the band. So who am I to judge? To be honest, while I definitely think this album is solid as a whole and is full of great songs, it has just failed to really get me excited. Hence my predicament To be fair, of the 16 tracks on this album, there isn’t a single track that isn’t at least good. The songs show a wide range of styles and highlight different talents of the band ranging from slow guitar or piano driven songs to peppy pop tunes and surprisingly catchy melodies. The music draws comparisons to every indie band of the last decade including Sunny Day Real Estate, Archers of Loaf, Guided by Voices, Superchunk and others, which basically means their sound is hard to pin down. It should also be noted that the production on the album is exceptionally good; it comes across as a very clean and distinct mix but doesn’t take it too far and seem over-produced. The Cost of Living may best be described as a ‘sleeper hit’. It is one of those albums that doesn’t blow you away immediately but slowly starts to creep into your frequently played list until you can’t get enough of it. In a world of here today, gone tomorrow and ‘band of the moment’ success stories, Sharks and Minnows may have the right approach after all. [www.sharksandminnowsmusic.com]