- Codebreaker

Musings on music delivered when I dig myself out.

Hot Snakes -- Audit in Progress
Dim Mak; 2004

Before writing this I did a little bit of research on Hot Snakes. Although it's clear that Hot Snakes features members of Drive Like Jehu and Rocket From the Crypt, things get a bit muddled when you try and figure out who's actually in the band. I won't go into the whole mess of who is actually who, but it's best said that these guys share a penchant for changing their names. What befuddles me is that for all the mystery encompassing them, Hot Snakes make ridiculously straight-forward rock and roll. The band sticks to their guns on Audit in Progress, their hook-crammed third full-length LP.

The band has always sounded like a streamlined amalgamation of Drive Like Jehu and Rocket From the Crypt, and no real departures are found in Audit in Progress. And yet, this isn't a bad deal at all for the listeners. Few groups I know of harness piercing and angular guitar lines and punchy yells in a way that pleases the pop ear -- something Hot Snakes is particularly good at. Another strength of the band, one that is accentuated on Audit in Progress, is know-how to write mildly abrasive punk songs that don't spiral into noisy wankfests. The majority of songs on Audit clock in at around three minutes and simply scorch. So while Hot Snakes may not venture off the beaten path much, Audit in Progress is proof that there's something to be said for sticking with what you know. Next task? Picking one name per member and settling on it.

Published Friday, October 15, 2004 | 0 comments | E-mail this post