Music Review: Sharkmuffin, Chartreuse

By Tyler Hodg

It’s incredible to think that Chartreuse is Sharkmuffin’s debut full-length album. The duo’s aggressive punk-rock sound is realized to its fullest, and amplifies the idea of the importance of a cohesive unit. In addition to the band’s music, the all-female Sharkmuffin proves rock’n’roll is not limited to the male gender.

The title track opens the album with a roaring start. Short and sweet, “Chartreuse” is an energetic concoction of rock, punk, and experimental sounds that meld together like a charm. The preceding song, “Mondays”, is far better than a song about that day of the week typically is—its loud and boisterous chorus is melodic to the point of catchiness, but doesn’t cross the line into annoying territory. In fact, not one track on Chartreuse sacrifices the band’s integrity as an honest and strong group.

Despite the fact that all ten songs are respectably good, not every single one of them hits the bullseye. The current tongue-in-cheek single, “Tampons are for Sluts,” has a much slower feel than the other tracks on the album, but the variation is not necessarily a positive. With the exception of the chorus, the song has a certain dragging feeling that seems to relieve the album of its energetic essence. On its own, “Tampons are for Sluts” is a great track. However, in the context of the album, it feels slightly out of place.

The illustrated cover art is simple and sleek, with head shots of band members and images of what one would assume to be friends are scattered in no particular pattern. The white background and black outlined caricatures make way for the random bursts of wonderful color. The artwork doesn’t necessarily represent or relay the message of the music, but works as a separate entity.

Is Sharkmuffin breaking new musical ground with Chartreuse? Absolutely not. Is the album worth your time and money? Absolutely. In a world filled with people claiming that rock’n’roll is dead and gone, Chartreuse cuts through like a sharp knife and provides verifiable evidence that such a misguided statement is void of any credibility. Sharkmuffin not only have the ability to become the “Queens of Rock,” but also to inspire other young musicians to create interesting and appealing music.

Chartreuse was released by State Capital/Little Dickman Records on August 7.

Tour Dates:
8/10 at TROMAVILLE, New Brunswick, NJ
8/11 at Trap, South Philly, PA
8/12 at Maudie’s in Cincinnati, OH
8/13 at Happy Dog in Cleveland, OH
8/14 at Joyful Noise in Indianapolis, IN
8/16 at The Triple Rock in Minneapolis, MN
8/17 at Gabe’s in Iowa City, IA
8/18 at O’Leavers in Omaha, NE
8/19 at The Vega in Lincoln, NE
8/21 at Moe’s in Denver, CO
8/22 @ The Blind Tiger, Kansas City, MO
8/26 @ WCWM radio station on the campus of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA