Crocodiles Unveil Album Promo and New Track - April Dates in NYC

Crocodiles in 2009, from the HAD Archive

Crocodiles have dropped the promo for their new record Endless Flowers, and they've done it in style. The under-two-minute video clip (below) takes on the form of satire as a badly composed infomercial. More importantly, it features clips of various tracks on the disc, and utterly reassures us that the band (while slightly cleaned up for their infomercial appearance) is staying true to form. Loaded with bombastic drums, fuzzy guitars, and oozing synths, the disc promises to be another solid dose of what makes this duo a repeat-play around these parts.

The lead track from the disc, entitled "Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)" is a fair example of the band's craft: it manages to feel dancey and rocking, while at the same time barraging you with a wall of sound that soothes and immerses at the same time. Obviously, the band is to some degree indebted to some of their English forefathers who pioneered much of this sound. Increasingly, however, Crocodiles are developing their own sonic fingerprint that is both distinctive and engaging.

In live news, the band just wrapped a spring tour that sidestepped New York. However, it appears that they were kind enough to tag us with a few bonus shows at the end, as the band is playing a double header on April 11th and 12th. One show will be at Glasslands and the other at Mercury Lounge. If you have a deep love of dancing to riotous noise, we highly recommend you show your face - you won't be sorry.



Crocodiles Remaining Spring 2012 Dates
April 11 Brooklyn, NY Glasslands
April 12 New York, NY Mercury Lounge

mp3: Crocodiles - Sunday (Psychic Conversation #9)

Crocodiles: "Soft Skull (Live)" - Video

The video above is awesome on so many levels, it's hard to know where to begin. For one, it completely validates our opinion that Crocodiles' debut is a totally fucking killer record. For another, it captures the band's new "full" lineup. And, finally, it's awesome HD video shot in a little tiny room. It's fantastic, and you'll love it. Click above to watch.

mp3: Crocodiles- Soft Skull

Crocodiles Kick Off Fall Tour, Rickshaw Tomorrow Night & New York In September

Crocodiles studio session, from the HAD Archive

It's not like we can tell you what to do, but if we could, we would say this: go see Crocodiles at The Rickshaw Stop tomorrow night. The show kicks off a relatively massive fall tour for the band, which crosses the US, and then jumps over to Europe. On top of the SF date tomorrow, the band will also be playing the 1-2 punch of Bowery Ballroom and the Music Hall Of Williamsburg in late September.

Between an awesome record and a killer live show, we definitely endorse these guys. Sure, they've got some hype behind them, which in turn brings out the skeptics in droves, but we're hear to tell you: it's a damn solid rock and roll show. Be there.

Crocodiles Fall 2009 Dates
Aug 19 RICKSHAW STOP w/ PENS & Graffiti Island San Francisco, California
Aug 21 DOUR FIR w/ PENS & Graffiti Island Portland, Oregon
Aug 22 CHOP SUEY w/ PENS & Graffiti Island Seattle, Washington
Aug 25 BLUE LAMP w/ PENS & Graffiti Island Sacramento, California
Aug 26 CREPE PLACE w/ PENS & Graffiti Island Santa Cruz, California
Aug 27 SPACELAND w/ PENS & Graffiti Island Los Angeles, California
Aug 29 STREET SCENE San Diego, California
Sep 11 JACKPOT Lawrence, Kansas
Sep 12 HALO BAR St. Louis, Missouri
Sep 15 PARADISE ROCK CLUB w/ The Horrors Boston, Massachusetts
Sep 16 JOHNNY BRENDA’S w/ The Horrors Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sep 17 BOWERY BALLROOM w/ The Horrors New York, New York
Sep 18 SONAR w/ The Horrors Baltimore, Maryland
Sep 19 BLACK CAT w/ The Horrors Washington DC, Washington DC
Sep 21 THE EARL w/ The Horrors Atlanta, Georgia
Sep 22 ONE EYED JACK’S w/ The Horrors New Orleans, Louisiana
Sep 24 WALTER’S ON WASHINGTON w/ The Horrors Houston, Texas
Sep 25 GRANADA THEATRE w/ The Horrors Dallas, Texas
Sep 26 EMO’S w/ The Horrors Austin, Texas
Sep 28 THE CLUBHOUSE w/ The Horrors Tempe, Arizona
Oct 10 TURF CLUB w/ The Horrors St. Paul, Minnesota
Oct 11 DOUBLE DOOR w/ The Horrors Chicago, Illinois
Oct 12 MAGIC STICK w/ The Horrors Detroit, Michigan
Oct 16 MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG w/ The Horrors Brooklyn, New York
Oct 19 STEREO (Dirty Bingo Vs. Loud and Quiet Presents) Glasgow
Oct 20 PLUG (Dirty Bingo Vs. Loud and Quiet Presents) Sheffield
Oct 21 NIGHT AND DAY CAFE (Dirty Bingo Vs. Loud and Quiet Presents) Manchester
Oct 22 AUDIO (Dirty Bingo Vs. Loud and Quiet Presents) Brighton
Oct 23 THE VICTORIA (Dirty Bingo Vs. Loud and Quiet Presents) London
Oct 24 L’INTERNATIONAL Paris
Oct 25 LE SONIC Lyon
Oct 26 AMIGDALA Milan
Oct 27 SPAZIO 211 Turin
Oct 28 MATTATOIO Carpi
Oct 29 CIRCOLO DEGLI ARTISTI Rome
Oct 30 UNWOUND Padova
Oct 31 BRONSONI Ravenna

mp3: Crocodiles - Soft Skull (In My Room)

Crocodiles: Summer Of Hate

To be frank, it would be easy to write off Crocodiles as a band that was on a warpath to ape The Jesus And Mary Chain. Yet even if you were so dismissive as to assume such (which would be a mistake), you'd at least have to admit that they're doing a damn good job. The reverb drenched vocals, fuzzy guitars, and drums-machine-but-maybe-not beats all combine to create a stunning homage to the Mary Chain's oeuvre.

But leaving it at that would be like saying Bowie was simply ripping off Bolan, or that Elvis Costello was nothing but a Buddy Holly imitator. Much like Bowie and Costello, Crocodiles wear their influences unabashedly on their sleeve, but then manage to do quite a bit more. By using the foundations of 60's rock, overlaying it with the fuzz of the late 70's, and then laying their own craft on top of it, the band manages to deliver a record that is at once catchy, arty, and original.

The record starts with perhaps the most blatantly accessible track, "I Wanna Kill". With a sing along chorus, a late 50's chord progression, and a Jesus and Mary Chain paint job, it effortlessly ropes the listener in to the band's world. It's immediately followed by the slightly more challenging "Soft Skull (In My Room)", which delivers fabulously syncopated beats and off kilter guitar that toes the line between noise and melody to perfection.

From there the record opens up beyond the simplicity of guitar rock and starts drifting into more adventurous soundscapes. "Here Comes The Sky" offers up a piano ballad dripping with reverb around a classic melody, "Refuse Angels" filters the band's sound through fuzzy beats and a straight-ahead motion, and "Flash Of Light" offers up an Iggy Pop worthy dirge.

The record closes with three tracks that probably push the band's boundries the furthest. "Sleeping With The Lord", "Summer Of Hate", and "Young Drugs" all offer up droney takes on songwriting in their own way. The fact that three songs in a row can have such a similar vibe and yet be completely different stylistically is a tribute the band's ingenuity, and the uniqueness of this record.

It's not every day here at HAD that we stumble upon a record that begs repeat listens, but Summer Of Hate is most certainly one such record. It's a fine line between accessibility and artistry, and to manage both in one fell swoop is more challenging still. Crocodiles have managed to do exactly that, not to mention create a record that feels as effortless as it is enjoyable. Quite frankly, we're so stoked that we can't wait to hear what they do next. And the meantime, well, we're happy to give this one another spin.

mp3: Crocodiles - Soft Skull (In My Room)

Crocodiles play the Bottom Of The Hill Tomorrow Night - Friday, June 5th