Despite Free bassist/composer Andy Fraser and engineer Andy Johns moving on after 1973's First Water album, Sharks come back with a solid second outing putting Mr. Snips front and center, not only as vocalist, but as writer or co-writer of eight of the nine songs here. Jab It in Yore Eye features an absolutely dreadful album cover, sure to turn off record buyers. Where the first LP's artwork was simple and ineffective, this cover illustration by Bill Imhoff is just awful -- and misleading, for the music inside is pretty good. Fraser contributed to half of the previous album's songs without providing the direction he helped give Free. Jab It in Yore Eye feels more unified -- the addition of new bassist Busta Cherry Jones and expansion of the group to five pieces with keyboardist Nicky Judd provide definition. It would be hard to say Sharks was imitating Bad Company, as both groups emerged pretty much at the same time. But the bluesy core of a song like Baby Shine a Light, penned by the new bassist, and lengthy essays such as Snips' Sophistication and Revolution of the Heart play totally in Paul Rodgers' world. Imagine Mick Ralphs' Ready for Love as performed by Bad Company without Mott the Hoople's power riffs, and expand that one song across two sides of a disc -- that's basically the sound of Jab It in Yore Eye. Not a bad place to be, Sun Beat Down and Rain or Shine continuing the obsession with light and sunshine themes on side one. It appears the group Free didn't disband, it was just cloned. Chris Spedding adds some intricate rhythmic guitar on the mellow affair, his presence a subtle highlight. They've abandoned the hint of glam from the previous year's debut and replaced it with low-key mellow blues. But as with First Water, there is no hit single to help bring attention to an otherwise interesting and listenable project. Mr. Snips' half-time Should I Stay or Should I Go riff on Sophistication probably inspired the Clash eight years later, but even that rocking moment clings to the low-tone blues without a chance of hit radio airplay. Spedding's co-write of Surrender with Snips and bits of a guitar riff from the world of disco are the album's high points. ~ Joe Viglione, Rovi

1		Just Like a Fever
2		Baby Shine a Light
3		Sun Beat Down
4		Rain or Shine
5		Kung Fu
6		Sophistication
7		Surrender
8		Cocaine Blues
9		Revolution of the Heart
10		Elevator Dancing

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