First Water 1973 Album

Sharks

This little-known group achieved minor footnote status thanks to the involvement of former Free bassist Andy Fraser, but in reality the talent he collected - session guitarist Chris Spedding, drummer Marty Simon, and gruff vocalist Steve "Snips" Parsons - were the engines behind Sharks, as Fraser left shortly after the debut album was released. Apparently, Island Records marketed them as a supergroup of sorts, having them compete with the likes of Led Zeppelin - but the material is far too intimate to be in Zeppelin's cavernous ballpark. Which is fine, because the entire album has a sense of beauty and dignity pulled from the depths of rickety ugliness, peaking with "Steal Away", a most endearing ballad. They go mostly the folk and roots-rock route, but are not afraid to rock out when needed, although the heaviness is lacking - which is a good thing, too. This is one of the few documents which lives up to its' "lost gem" status.