The Alligators

Does surf-guitar count as a frill? I mean, the cool thing to say these days is "this band plays no-frills punk/hardcore." So does surf-guitar count as a frill? Because if it does, then I can't say that the Alligators "play no-frills punk/hardcore." Because there is a frill. Can you guess what it is? But hey, what do you expect from a band that has two instrumental Link Wray covers? What about sound bites? Like an excerpt from "Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas," specifically "I was right in the middle of a fucking reptile zoo. And somebody was giving booze to these goddamned things. It won't be long now before they tear us to shreds." And what better quote for a band named the Alligators? I'm pretty sure that their goal is indeed to rip us to shreds. But what can you expect from a band where I believe the best way to describe them is surf-rock on crack?

Whew, there were a lot of questions in that first paragraph. Regardless, this is a pretty stellar release. I mean as much as Man...Or Astro Man? is fun and appealing, I'd rather have a horror film-influenced brand of surf-rock than goofy sci-fi. And how about the sample of "I Put A Spell On You," by Screamin' Jay Hawkins? Oops, there's another question. Well, it opens the song "The Screamer," which is, unsurprisingly, a tribute to Screamin' Jay Hawkins. "Dogfight" is fast, raw and vicious, channeling hardcore speeds with rock'n'roll riffs. "Looking For Trouble" reminds me of the Murder City Devils.

All in all, this album has some killer tracks. And it has a song about zombies. And you all know how many points that wins in my camp. Any song that has "They want to eat your brains!" with "brains!" screamed over and over again has to be a sweet song.