Camera-Head Shark

Newsday: With The Band

// December 13th, 2007 // press

Rafer Guzman rafer.guzman@newsday.com

“Thanks for Camera-Head Shark, God

Dear God: Thank You for Camera-Head Shark. I know I’ve been a lousy correspondent-the last time I wrote You was back in 2004 after seeing The Kites. But maybe if You sent me more great bands, You’d hear from me more often.

Clearly, these four Patchogue musicians are pursuing their own quirky, funny, absurdist vision of indie-rock. It’s audible on every track of their debut album, “Oh You,” from the opening number, “Punched,” with its cartoon piano and oddball lyrics (”I heard you got punched with a flashlight / You said it kinda hurt but your alright”) up to the closer, “I Can’t Wait,” a quasi-bluegrass number that actually might not be a joke.

Where should we file this band? Next to Ween, Camper Van Beethoven or Cake? (Someday, You should put Camera-Head Shark on a double-bill with like-minded locals Vision Through Sound.)

There’s humor here but also real songcraft, with delightful piano chords on “Kurbana Novain,” a melancholy under-current to “Fire Drill” and some power-pop riffs on “Since the Stone Age.”

Granted, it’s not always clear what guitarist-vocalist George Kalivas is trying to say. Camera-Head Shark might consider writing a clearly wacky an-them with a big ol’ chorus, like Cake’s “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” or The Offspring’s “Self Esteem.” The best way to grab the roof-rockers is to get them singing along. Then again, who am I to mess with your Creation?

P.S. Please keep the band together. It’s such a bummer when You taketh away.”

Copyright Newsday 2007

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