[atsonicpark]

 

HOT SNAKES "SUICIDE INVOICE"
Swami Records, 2002

1. "I Hate the Kids"
2. "Gar Forgets His Insulin"
3. "XOX"
4. "Who Died"
5. "Suicide Invoice"
6. "Paid in Cigarettes"
7. "LAX"
8. "Bye Nancy Boy"
9. "Paperwork"
10. "Why Does it Hurt"
11. "Unlisted"
12. "Ben Gurion"

I rarely call an album addictive. I have heard many albums I've liked a lot that I'll put once or twice a year or so, but few that I put on repeat over and over and over... however, Suicide Invoice is one of those albums that I just couldn't (and can't) ever get out of my CD player. And I'm not totally sure why. 5 years after first hearing it, I listen to it today and still love it but ask myself if I'd love it that much if I'd just heard it today... well, yeah, probably, but...

Hot Snakes are a very very very influenced-by-Wipers (seriously, the riffs are identical!) punk band from two old members of Drive Like Jehu, usually incorporating somewhat simple song structures, short song lengths, driving rhythms, catchy riffs, anthemic choruses, and cool lyrics. This album is just.. yeah.. anthemic. I always have Who Died, LAX, XOX, and Why Does It Hurt? in my head. While most of the songs have a pretty straight-ahead rock sound, there are subtle and interesting uses of keyboards... it's all so interesting and perfect.. well-written and uhh... I dunno, I hate sounding like a rock critic.

Just a good band with good music. That's all there is to it. No gimmicks, no 67098740978 time changes, no glitch breakdowns, no screaming at the top of their lungs with mirroed canary tattoos, just straight-up good music. And it's lasted and lasted and lasted in my mind for years and inspired me in many ways. So, I consider it a classic.