White Shark Café (2019)

Great Red Silence

Prog Punk Alternative

Starring into the wide and deep, sipping a tea at a bar and coffee, running around and stay, calling out loud in the blue and receive the Great Red Silence! A mystic yet homey unit, introducing you to the “White Shark Café”.

It has been years ago already, since Mathias ‘Mats’ Kollos first gathered together a bunch of friends to record the first songs for his new project called Wide Eyed Children at Keller Records. The line-up changed and the songs evolved. Together with members of The Goldtops, Cler & Klainer and The Boys You Know he recorded the new versions at the Plattenwerk. And with the support of Rola Music, the debut found the light of day at the Kramladen in September.

Eight songs are cemented on this disc, released in a handmade slipcase or as a hardcover book similar to “Remember Remember” featuring the wonderful artwork of Lukas Philippovich. It starts of with the first single “4 am” with artist Christoph Bochdansky in a video by the Braingorillas. The song as the whole record lives and breathes from sweet licks and powerful voices making think of Slash and Myles Kennedy. Also the thoughtful use of effects, the guitar solo and fast part à la “Shake Your Blood” at the end are trademarks of the diverse Rock sound of the band.

“Stranger Gods” appears as most obvious tribute to QOTSA, grooving with crisp drums and the next fast part. One of the group’s oldest tunes is “The Mantis”, that is spiced with rhythm changes too and a mystic atmosphere at the end, visualized in a kind of temple in the artwork. “Impulse Control” as second single was released with another compelling music video and with “Lights Out!” has one of the catchiest refrains and an artwork showing two worlds.

One of the earlier and path breaking songs is “Honest Mistake”: strong lyrics and beautifully complementary guitars and melodies that carry one away, arranged in finest “Wasting Light“-manner. Not in Mind’s Garden but “Mind’s Island” the journey takes us with a great Indie Rock tune, before it turns quiet in the “Death in the Deep”. The conjuration ends at the “White Shark Café”, seemingly “The Why Café”. In an early version it was used in a behind-the-scenes of “Johnny Unsaddled”.

Now the song has found it’s destiny too with its slow beat, wonderful guitars and the structure ending in an appealing uncertainty. Great Red Silence show that they have their focus on a coherent overall picture with band pictures, cover artworks and videos and also especially high quality music to escape the daily grind.