Today, the legendary John Cale releases a new single/video, “Shark-Shark,” from his new album, POPtical Illusion, out June 14th via Domino. Following lead single “How We See The Light,” “Shark-Shark” is a slightly menacing, yet wholly delightful, heavy dance jam. Various versions of Cale’s voice cut under and across a throbbing industrial beat made rich with punchy drum machines, before ending with a scabrous guitar solo as mean as something Cale might have made in the inchoate days of punk. The video sees Cale collaborating once again with director Abigail Portner.
“Sometimes you write a song purely for a mood,” Cale explains. “‘Shark-Shark’ has two versions – both a nod to finding humor in music. When you’re feeling too much of the real world, the best diversion is something that puts a grin on your face. I don’t know how Abby & team kept this shoot together – being ‘unserious’ was a lot of fun!”
Of the video, Portner states “When I first heard this song the first thing that struck me was this vibe of gentle chaos, a chaos that’s not dangerous but a playfulness that happens at a sleepover party or in an ’80s comedy. I was in Oslo last summer with John and I had taken a bunch of pictures of the band in the National Museum standing in the hall of busts, looking very stark and cold. This idea popped into my head of what if the chaos in this song was sculptures coming to life and breaking all the rules! The concept of taking something like the National Museum or Swan Lake and having the art itself turn it upside down seemed fitting for this song.”
POPtical Illusion will be available on 2xLP, CD, and digitally. The Domino Mart pink & mint vinyl 2xLP edition pressing of 1000 includes a 7″ featuring 2 exclusive tracks, and a POPitem – a limited edition illusionary twirling paper Objet.
TheWaster.com | Listen Up
5.9.2024
