Having already sold out highly celebrated Scottish venues such as Sneaky Pete’s (Edinburgh) and King Tuts (Glasgow) during 2018 with headline performances, Mark Sharp, alongside his band The Bicycle Thieves, is an artist fortunate enough to be contemplating further prosperity approaching 2019.
Sharp’s live performances have clearly built a repute for captivation, energy and imagination judging by his successes on the Scottish touring circuit over recent years and coupling that with festival slots at TRNSMT, Tenement Trail and the recent EH6, his repute looks to be on an exponential path. So far, this relentless gigging and ever-growing reputation has also earned Sharp support slots alongside hotly-tipped Scottish names such as Lewis Capaldi and Gerry Cinnamon.
Taking inspiration from a diverse range of acts such as The Rolling Stones, Ryan Adams and Stereophonics, Sharp has been described as “an artist you must see” (Gig in the Goil Festival) with “a voice like honey over rust” (Tenement TV). Sharp released his debut single ‘Fools’ in 2017 which was soon followed by his inaugural EP ‘Lost Cause’ which, expectedly, hauled in a sell-out crowd to Glasgow’s Hug and Pint for the EP’s launch gig. Although Sharp has evidently had an eventful 2018, preparations for 2019 are not quite at the forefront of his itinerary just yet. His new single ‘War Paint’ will be released on 21st December and offers yet another glimpse into Sharp’s character and identity as an artist and we’ve had the chance to hear a sneak preview before its release.
Opening with a few adjustments of radio tuning before settling on a preferred frequency, jangly, chime-like guitar lines project a landscape reminiscent of the sound that Johnny Marr is synonymous for as a guitarist before being accompanied by acute arpeggios on keys which provide balance to the ever transcendent, atmospheric guitar tones.
Drums and vocals soon follow and begin to build-up drive and anticipation in the pre-choruses which are sure to be head-bobbing, sing-along moments for Sharp’s fully engaged, unified live audiences before a small pause preludes the release of the built-up anticipation to a lively chorus full of ranges of vocal harmonies and arpeggiated guitar lines.
Lyrically, lines such as ‘if you wanna play these mind games, go running to your old flames, coz I just wanna burn out’ and ‘are you taking all these things I say to heart? Has the world that you’ve been living in tore apart?’ entail relationship disputes replete with anger and confusion with the scars or ‘war paint’ ominously discernible on the character in question to the extent that they are ‘drowning in the pavements of defeat’.
‘War Paint’ portrays a picture of love’s hardships as fracases brimmed with turmoil succumb to be the instigators behind the traumas that can forever blemish those involved in a war of relationships.
Sharp and his Bicycle Thieves are set to play yet another a sold-out show at G2 in Glasgow on the 22nd December however, more opportunities to catch them in action will no doubt soon arise as we approach 2019.
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