PREMIERE: Sharkmuffin Introduces “Serpentina,” the Star of Their New EP

Meet the space dominatrix inspired by a trip to AutoZone.
PREMIERE: Sharkmuffin Introduces “Serpentina,” the Star of Their New EP

Meet the space dominatrix inspired by a trip to AutoZone.

Words: Mike LeSuer

photo by Steven Anselm

February 21, 2019

Finally, some representation for all you space dominatrixes working day jobs as receptionists for gene editing labs churning out superbabies. Brooklyn trio Sharkmuffin have written a conceptual EP empathizing with this exact demographic; over the course of five tracks, the garage-centric trio dabbles in shoegaze, glam, and a breakneck fusion of grunge and riot grrrl on Gamma Gardening to spin a totally unique narrative.

We’re getting the first taste of the EP today with the dissonant, arena-filling ballad “Serpentina,” the three minute sci-fi epic which initiated the project that was inspired by, uh, an oil change.

“I wrote the bass line and lyrics to this song when I had to get the serpentine belt replaced in my 1995 Dodge Caravan,” vocalist/guitarist Tarra Thiessen explains. “I got an oil change and the dude there told me the belt looked like it was about to snap and if it did, then I would lose control of the whole car and die. So after I bought a new serpentine belt at AutoZone, I for some reason started to personify my minivan as a sexy dominatrix named Serpentina that could kill me with her belt. To take control of this weird paranoid thought, I changed the story so that Serpentina kills herself with the belt.”

There you have it. Gamma Gardening is out April 5 on Exploding in Sound. Catch Sharkmuffin at SXSW and beyond on the dates below.

Tour Dates:
3/11 – Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas – 5:45PM/ Volstead Stage  (Strange Brew Showcase)
3/14 – Austin, TX @ Hard Luck Lounge – 3:10PM (Little Dickman Record Showcase)
3/14 – Austin, TX @ Lambert’s – 8PM (Cigar City Management/Outer Orbit booking Showcase)
3/16 – Austin, TX @ Beerland 1PM (Post-Trash showcase) –
3/17 – Austin, TX @ Big Easy – 6PM (Queen of the Scene & Left Bank Magazine Showcase)
4/05 – Brooklyn, NY @ Alphaville (EP release show) w/ Haybaby, Gustaf and more
5/04 – Winooski, VT @ Waking Windows Festival