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The formula for the Hot Snakes’ Thunder Down Under is pretty simple: Take all the band’s best songs, shift them into overdrive, and play them as tightly as possible for a live session on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

In the relatively short lifespan of the Hot Snakes, John Reis of Rocket from the Crypt and Drive Like Jehu’s Eric Froberg were one of the most potent duos in music. The two were the driving force behind the band’s immaculate style of hardcore garage punk, and their collective genius shines through on the live radio performance. From “Braintrust” to “Hi-Lites” to “Retrofit,” the band relentlessly pounds through their high-intensity songs nearly flawlessly.

Froberg walks a seamless line between snotty melodic yelling, and unchained emotion. The band hits their peak with the mesmerizing “Plenty for All,” with dreamy guitar playing juxtaposed against pounding drums and Froberg’s shouts of “Southern California, let's go! There's room for us all.” Thunder Down Under also offers up two songs not on their full-lengths, “U.S. Mint” and the impromptu off-key “Rock N’ Roll Will Never Die,” the one track that doesn’t perfectly hit home.

The only problem with Thunder Down Under is that it was released posthumously, and the music community is no longer graced with the Hot Snakes’ presence. Even so, Thunder Down Under is a fitting end to a band who deserves every bit of success and acclaim they received, and should have gotten more. As long as this disc is available, we can be certain that it’s true: “rock 'n’ roll will never die."



People who liked this also liked:
Refused - The Shape of Punk to ComeHot Snakes - Suicide InvoiceHot Snakes - Audit In ProgressThe Night Marchers - See You in MagicRocket from the Crypt - Scream, Dracula, Scream!Operation Ivy - Operation IvyHot Snakes - Peel SessionsJawbreaker - Dear YouThe Clash - London CallingTed Leo and the Pharmacists - Shake The Sheets



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    Posted by blip on 2008-04-18 21:00:21
    My Score:

    Hot snakes reign supreme
    the swami owns you.

    Posted by GlassPipeMurder on 2007-05-15 01:24:15
    My Score:

    I think he was just saying the review wasn't too good, and I would agree. Very rambly and uncoordinated. Score is for the review.

    dude. it's 260 words. i don't think your criticism could be any further off the mark. this review is quite minimal. it seems as if you troll around looking for my reviews, then mark them with vague, blanket criticisms. if you want to read a rambly, uncoordinated review, check out the Blood Brothers "March on Electric Children."

    Posted by SilentStorms on 2007-05-15 00:02:34
    My Score:

    I think he was just saying the review wasn't too good, and I would agree. Very rambly and uncoordinated. Score is for the review.

    Posted by GlassPipeMurder on 2007-05-13 19:23:41

    score is for the review, because theres no reason it should exist.
    hot snakes was one of the raddest bands to come out in the last ten years... even more so for drive like jehu.

    the fact that hot snakes "was one of the raddest bands to come out in the last ten years", yet hardly anyone has heard of them is the exact reason why this needed a review.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 13, 2007 at 5:51 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    score is for the review, because theres no reason it should exist.
    hot snakes was one of the raddest bands to come out in the last ten years... even more so for drive like jehu.

    Posted by Kursk on 2007-05-13 13:43:32

    fuck I'm an idiot.

    Posted by Kursk on 2007-05-13 13:42:35
    My Score:

    Damn I miss this band....and Rocket From The Crypt. Reis needs to do something musically, not just run a record label.

    I don't like live albums, but the score is for the band.

    Posted by cokeslurpees on 2007-05-12 23:53:15
    My Score:

    this doesn't suck.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, May 12, 2007 at 5:14 PM (EDT)

    i agree, the version of let it come is real hot on this one. Rock and roll will never die is hilarious. "man, i miss the 50's they were roarin"

    Posted by theyounginfluential on 2007-05-11 23:44:26

    GREAT album. my favorite song is "XOX"

    Posted by kenjamin on 2007-05-11 18:01:26
    My Score:

    "Suicide Invoice" is sooo good on this.

    Posted by the_other_scott on 2007-05-11 17:39:04
    My Score:

    kinda bummed that "This Mystic Decade" didn't make it

    Posted by I-type-poorly on 2007-05-11 15:24:37

    Hot Snakes rock. This disc has an incredible versions of Let it Come, Who Died, US Mint, and Suicide Invoice. Also, SI is their weakest of the three. Get the other albums and get this as well.

    Posted by GlassPipeMurder on 2007-05-11 15:04:07
    My Score:

    of course i knew John Reis was in Drive Like Jehu, however I thought it would be a little redundant to mention each band they've been instead of just the one's they've fronted.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 11, 2007 at 2:34 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "John Reis of Rocket from the Crypt and Drive Like Jehu’s Eric Froberg"

    You do know that John Reis was also in Drive Like Jehu, don't you?

    This album just didn't cut it for me. I've seen them live and the energy is not really there on this album. And that's coming from someone who loves all of their studio albums and who considers Hot Snakes to be one of his favorite bands ever.

    Posted by aubin on 2007-05-11 08:19:07
    My Score:

    Spectacular. Normally I wouldn't recommend a live album for people new to a band, but this one is pretty much flawless in track selection and recording quality.

    Posted by branden on 2007-05-11 01:55:35

    the version of let it come on here is my all time fave.

    its got that classic guitar riff in the bridge
    u.s. mint = best hs song ever.
    our work fills the pews is 2nd.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 11, 2007 at 12:05 AM (EDT)

    terrible cover art. i loved suicide invoice but for some reason i never had the urge to pick up any of their other records. like that one was all i needed. hmmm.

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