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I often wonder about just what kind of selection process a band goes through to pick their names. Some are easy enough; I doubt anybody will be questioning Dave Matthews about how his band’s name came about, but for the most part, the answer is just a little bit more ambiguous. Why the King Cheetah? The music isn’t particularly fast, as is the cheetah’s trademark, though it can have a fair amount of bite at times if that’s what they were alluding to.

The trio, straight from across the pond, makes no bones about what their musical aim is; they’re here to rock. The British post-punk export displays a snotty attitude and an arrogant savvy that carries well into their musical endeavors. Sneering front-man Robert Paul Maune delivers his lyrics with an attitude that just screams “fuck you.” He doesn’t have to come and say it outright, but his vocal technique makes it more than apparent that that’s what he’s thinking. The fuzzy, bass-driven “Burning Here Tonight” is not representative of the entire album with its style, but it does show the attitude that the King Cheetah gives off with their lyrics. The band is quite confident in their shoes, and their words reflect that. Be that a more rocking, post-punk venture, or a much more downplayed, subdued effort such as “Vampire State Building,” which showcases the lyrical content in the most effective manner:

Every straw is short, every second bought, every life is blighted / Why do I feel constantly so under whelmed by what I buy? / Every moment of existence I am cheated of my birthright, where’s the satisfying climax? / Where’s the life you’ve been promising, where’s the life you’ve promised me? / On TV it looks like gold, in the store it shines like silver, in my bag it gleams like copper / Every time the very same; in my hands it turns to shit.
Evoking a very clam, haunting quality, the band effortlessly closes out what was a short but effective blast of enthusiasm. Though the best is clearly saved for last, that’s not to say there’s no other points of interest on the album. Songs like “Six Inch Killaz” keep the mood light and the momentum going throughout, with some great albeit relatively simple guitar work and drumming. The structures aren’t the most complicated I’ve heard, but it’s certainly not child’s play either. “The City At The Edge Of The World” lets the band be pretty creative with their arrangements, making it one of the album’s more diverse and more enjoyable tracks.

Not as fast as a speeding bullet, or quite as ferocious as any threatening wild animals, but the King Cheetah have definitely put a good amount of thought into crafting a solid post-punk album with great vocals and rhythms to match. Check it out.



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    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, September 10, 2005 at 7:36 PM (EDT)

    As an avid reader of punknews reviews I have to admit whenever I come across an Anchors review I skip it and go straight to the comments.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, September 10, 2005 at 12:48 AM (EDT)

    I think we need to arrange a compilation record that's just bands reading diffferent, yet equally inane and meaningless record review introductions by Anchors. We can sell it for the people in New Orleans.

    Oh, but I guess pointing out that this guy writes dumb, uninformed, and often vain reviews makes me "obsessed". As if my life revolves around reading his crappy reviews, or that it takes that much thought to read his reviews and decide they suck, or that this comment was meticulously written.

    -Will

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, September 10, 2005 at 12:02 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    What's with the gay openings? These are supposed to be fucking record reviews, not 8th grade English papers.

    Score is for anyone who has ever kicked Anchors in the balls.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 9, 2005 at 2:36 PM (EDT)

    "There are GREAT reviews written for BIG albums that came out WEEKS ago just sitting in the queue."

    Who gives a fuck about BIG albums? If a band is super-big I can probably form my own opinion on what they sound like and if I like their album or not. It's the smaller bands and midsized bands that I need info on, bands I might pass over at the store.

    Fuck, dude - everyone is gonna buy the new against me!, regardless of whether or not punknews reviewers say its good. But if there is a thrash band that I haven't heard of putting out some wicked record, I wanna know.

    -Ken

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 9, 2005 at 6:27 AM (EDT)

    Way to post the same comment in every review, tardboy. Just couldn't keep that non-opinion in any longer, could we?

    'Vampire State Building' is a cool title for a song.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, September 9, 2005 at 2:21 AM (EDT)

    SERIOUSLY.

    There are GREAT reviews written for BIG albums that came out WEEKS ago just sitting in the queue.

    WHY aren't you posting reviews in a more timely manner? Some stuff like Against Me! and Bayside get that, as well as immediate concert reviews.

    So, why are you sitting on very well written reviews for seminal discs?

    Posted by corpseofmymotivation on 2005-09-09 01:40:49

    Checked these guys out just now. Definitely interesting.

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