[3/5] Led by ex-Pedro The Lion touring member Christian Wargo, Seattle's Crystal Skulls are still pairing their sexy wit and cynicism with a loose, Jimmy Buffet-goes-indie-rock vibe; but this time around, it seems they've left some of the melody behind. Every track on the band's sophomore album, Outgoing Behavior, has you licking your chops in anticipation of those catchy hooks Wargo rolled out so effortlessly on the band's masterful 2005 debut, Blocked Numbers, but in most cases, you're just left salivating. The title track and "Baby Boy," along with "The Hold Up," perfectly show the Skulls' ability to slip a powerful hook into their AM-radio lite-rock and pull it all off with a Tom Jones-style swagger; unfortunately, these songs are the exception to the rule here. While it'd be unfair to call Outgoing Behavior a sophomore slump, it'd be good to see the band's junior year being a bit more memorable.
(SUICIDE SQUEEZE) Derek Evers
 Official Website: http://www.suicidesqueeze.net
|
