Search - Crocodiles :: Summer Of Hate

A lo fi pop masterpiece

S. Pactor | San Diego, CA United States | 05/04/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The professional reviews on the Crocodile are split: New York Times, thumbs way up, Pitchfork, thumb sort of down, but the attention and interest that they have generated with their debut record is undeniable. I think, probably the aspect that has split the critics is the pop/top 40 hit potential that lies beneath the drum machines and the distortions. For Pitchfork, it was enough to merit the mixed review; for the New York Times it's probably the reason they featured it as one of three records singled out for the month of May, plus the reason they were the front page lede for NY Times SXSW coverage(!) This may represent the first time that publication has engaged in the kind of band sponsorship that is all too common on... I don't know... Pitchfork? Characteristically, Rolling Stone gave it three and a half stars. Shocker Rolling Stone- what an irrelevant publication in this day and age.



At any rate, my input is that this is a thought provoking album, simply because it seems to provoke a lot of strong opinions. Why don't you decide for yourself? Personally, I'm way pro. I think this is a record that can appeal equally to angsty teens who might listen to Green Day and Panic at the Disco, thirty somethings who saw Jesus and Mary Chain on their reunion tour, and forty somethings that may think the lead singer looks a little bit like a young Bob Dylan.



Here is how the New York Times summarized their rise in their South by South West feature:



In December the underground art-punk kings No Age picked a Crocodiles song as one of their favorites of 2008, and after Crocodiles signed with Fat Possum Records in January two influential outlets, the blog Stereogum (stereogum.com) and Fader magazine's blog (thefader.com), weighed in with effusive recommendations of the band's throbbing wash of guitars and electronics.



No wonder people are going to hate."

You've heard this before, but it's a promising début

John L Murphy | Los Angeles | 06/28/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Great title for a familiar sounding CD. Fans of Jesus & Mary Chain will like this best. Beat in German motorik, a touch of Suicide, a dash of Velvet Underground, and, given the band's name, Echo & the Bunnymen: ingredients for a post-punk set that brings the duo and their drum machine (not named Echo?) into a revival of alternative rock's darker, but not dreadful, attitudes.



After a short "Screaming Chrome" that's rather subdued, "I Wanna Kill" replicates the JMC's "Head On," but it's not bad as a tribute to them. "Soft Skull" sounds like Echo's "Pictures in My Room" with the same comment. "Here Comes the Sky" shows more originality as its keyboard waves shimmer. "Refuse Angels" bursts into a primitive punkier rave-up that reminds me of a single by one-chord wonders on a Rough Trade compilation circa 1979. That's a compliment.



"Flash of Light" dawdles until halfway it enters Oneida's experimental territory, repeating the patterns minimally to good effect if you like krautrock without a beat!

It's a direction they should explore more. It segues well into "Sleeping With the Lord," where the synthesized flow reminds me of Spiritualized mixed with JMC, reaching dignity in its simplicity. Emotions here gain by their vocal understatement, reminiscent of Spacemen 3's delivery and religious allusions.



The title track reminds me of their peers The Black Angels or The Warlocks, more percussive and more tribally grounded. "Young Drugs" sounds like musicians for the first time trying out a krautrock song-- the demo nature and hesitant playing gain a bit of charm by their artlessness.



Compared to peers Darker My Love, The Warlocks, Farflung, The Black Angels, Black Mountain, or Oneida, the return to familiar post-punk, neo-psychedelic attitudes by Crocodiles here remains far more derivative. But, the bands I just mentioned all had their growing up in public as they tried to marry the anxious beauty of the Velvet Underground to the intensity of such bands as Spacemen 3 and Echo & the Bunnymen. I'd keep an eye on Crocodiles, as JMC, Spacemen, and Echo all represent the various, and well-chosen, influences that may take them more in one or the other direction in future recordings towards a more original blend of these fine flavors. (P.S. I've reviewed fine albums by DML, Warlocks, Farflung, BA recently on Amazon US, by the way.)"

Bite on crocodiles

Timothy J. Cooper | 06/28/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"their tones bring JMC and Joy Division to mind, but their overall impact is unique with some power and raw edge. "I Wanna Kill" is a song that grows on me each time I hear it."