Shark Quest

Hailing from Chapel Hill, NC, the five-member group Shark Quest specializes in eclectic instrumental rock tailored for the alternative audience. Atmospheric soundtrack music shapes their approach, with Ennio Morricone cited as one frequently overused reference point, together with folk music, desert twang, and traces of additional styles. Although guitars dominate their arrangements, banjo and mandolin—both handled by Sara Bell—appear regularly, along with occasional cello, keyboards, and vibes. Battle of the Loons, their first album, appeared in 1998. Brian Paulson, whose prior work includes projects with Wilco, Son Volt, Slint, and Squirrel Nut Zippers, produced the follow-up, 2000’s Man on Stilts.