Review
Jump the Shark
Staring Death

Dead Truth (2008) Zach

Jump the Shark – Staring Death cover artwork
Jump the Shark – Staring Death — Dead Truth, 2008

So the other day for lunch, I decided to try a new sandwich shop in the Skyway. I'd heard decent things about it, and when I walked past it on my way to other establishments for lunch, they definitely were busy, and people apparently liked it. So I ordered their house specialty sandwich. What I got was a perfectly passable sandwich, with some delicious potato chips. But everything about the sandwich was generic and didn't really stand out. Bland bread, shredded iceberg lettuce, processed cheese, and a ho-hum dressing. The deli meats, while not bad, were also probably pulled out of a package, and not even sliced on location. If I'm going to pay six bucks for a sandwich and chips, it better at least be made from the heart with quality ingredients. It wasn't. While it wasn't bad, it was definitely not something that I'll go out of my way for.

My sandwich experience is very much like the album Staring Death by Jump the Shark. It's perfectly passable hardcore with an 80's influence, in much the same vein of Paint it Black. However, there were very few moments that really stuck out for me. I can see this band being great live, but the album left me unfulfilled. A couple awesome riffs, a lyric here or there that stood out but was gone the next instant; this is what I gained from this album. Overall, a decent background album for when I'm doing dishes, or eating a forgettable sandwich.

6.0 / 10Zach • April 6, 2009

Jump the Shark – Staring Death cover artwork
Jump the Shark – Staring Death — Dead Truth, 2008

Recently-posted album reviews

Various Artists

Louder Than You Think: A Lo-Fi History of Gary Young & Pavement (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Independent (2026)

Gary Young wasn’t just a drummer; he was a beautiful, unpredictable glitch poking a hole in the sky where other lovable misfits could enter and leave this universe they’d grace with their presence. While Hendrix kissed the sky, Young merely bit a hole right through it. While Pavement was busy inventing the 1990s slacker blueprint for the masses, Gary was … Read more

Mrs. Magician

High Resolution b/w Dead Alive
Swami (2026)

Mrs. Magician is back! For those unfamiliar, Mrs. Magician is a garage punk band based in San Diego, CA. They formed in 2010 and between then and 2016, they managed to release 6 singles, 2 albums and 1 B-sides collection. Both of their full lengths were released on Swami Records, the label helmed by legendary San Diego guitar slasher/voice crasher, … Read more

Amy Beth And Thee Creeps

Shitheel EP
Chaputa! Records (2026)

Sometimes I like to come into a record as a blank slate. Amy Beth And Thee Creeps sent me a short email with their latest EP, Shitheel. It's a 4-song garage-punk ripper that's easily under 10 minutes. I just checked: it's five and a half minutes. With no bio, the music speaks for itself and this is rhythmic, pulsing garage … Read more