Crocodiles - Summer of Hate
by Andrew Carver
published: 27 / 6 / 2009
Label:
Fat Possum
Format: CD
intro
Accomplished murky-sounding psychedelic menace, reminiscent of the likes of the Jesus and Mary Chain, Spacemen 3 and Loop, from San Diego-based duo, Crocodiles
With a name like ‘Summer of Hate’, you know the overdriven but still sepulchral organ tones that open the Crocodiles’ debut album won’t last for long. The simple, catchy guitar riff, heavily reverbed vocals and motorik drumming are immediately reminiscent of the Jesus and Mary Chain circa ‘Automatic’ and also of more modern fuzz-pop units like No Age, the Kills, Wavves, Nobunny and Kurt Vile. Choruses like "I want to kill tonight" (on ‘I Wanna Kill’), combined with those warbling keyboards may also remind some listeners of another duo, Suicide, although the singer’s more relaxed attitude toward full-blown psychosis won’t be giving Alan Vega any (more) sleepless nights. Fortunately for both band and listener, while Crocodiles have entered a field crowded with one- and two-person distorto-pop outfits, members Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell have a knack for a good melody and know when to switch between Spaceman 3 style blissed-out drift (‘Here Comes The Sky’, 'Sleeping With The Lord') to more aggressive buzz-punk, such as ‘Refuse Angels’. ‘Summer of Hate’ may be trying a bit hard for an air of murky psychedelic menace in the lyrics department but should appeal to admirers of both the new wave of lo-fi popsters and more old school psychedelic bands like Spacemen 3 and Loop.
Track Listing:-
1 Screaming Chrome2 I Wanna Kill
3 Soft Skull (In My Room)
4 Here Comes the Sky
5 Refuse Angels
6 Flash of Light
7 Sleeping with the Lord
8 Summer of Hate
9 Young Drugs
10 Neon Jesus
Label Links:-
https://www.youtube.com/user/elpossumhttps://plus.google.com/+elpossum
http://fatpossum.com/
https://www.facebook.com/FatPossumRecords
https://twitter.com/FatPossum
https://www.instagram.com/fatpossum/
interviews |
Interview (2009) |
Crocodiles are a young Californian noise duo, who have recently released their debut album,'Summer of Hate'. Anthony Strutt speaks to guitarist Charles Rowell about the nightmare world he and vocalist Brandon Welchez have envisioned on it |
bandcamp
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.Dennis Tufano - Copernicus Center, Chicago, 19/7/2024
Elliott Murphy - Interview
Wreckless Eric - Interview
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #16: Living in the Minds of Strangers
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #17: Tom Robinson
Adrian Gurvitz - Interview
Norman Rodger - Interview
Chris Spedding - Interview
Penumbra - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Groovy Uncle - Making ExcusesPhilip Parfitt - The Dark Light
Jules Winchester - The Journey
Deep Purple - =1
Bill Wyman - Drive My Car
Ross Couper Band - The Homeroad
Hawkestrel - Chaos Rocks
John Murry and Michael Timmins - A Little Bit of Grace and Decay
Popstar - Obscene
Splashgirl and Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe - More Human
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart