Cuddly Shark – Body Mass Index EP

As the name implies, Cuddly Shark are as adorable as they are frenzied and ruthless. The Elgin trio follow up their smashing self-titled debut with this stopgap release, and it's a brief yet varied escapade; the only common denominator of their sound is guitarist / vocalist Colin Reid's nasally, Americanised yelp.

 

The rhythm section, however, is constantly changing – in a little over ten minutes the band nails several styles: urgent powerpop nuggets (Body Mass Index, Losing The Room), anthemic indie rock (Skewiff) and heart-on-sleeve balladry (The Man You Want). This bodes very well for their sophomore album, due early next year. In the meantime, there's six infectious little earworms to be found here. Granted, it's all over in a flash, but Body Mass Index cries out for repeat visits. [Ross Watson]