Search - Hot Snakes :: Automatic Midnight

It's good to have jehu back.

ghost940 | PHILLY | 10/19/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"i love the jehu, but i was pretty skeptical about this album. then, i got the album and at first i was disappointed. the rhythm section and the production is kinda different from jehu... anyway, after i listened to the cd some more, i realized that, while it's not jehu, it's pretty damn close and it's still ROCKING! so, buy this album. it's awesome."

A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man

Wheelchair Assassin | The Great Concavity | 11/17/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Man, few albums provide an immediate jolt like Hot Snakes' debut. For a rocking good time, this band is pretty tough to beat. "Automatic Midnight" is aggressive, in-your-face, and extremely fun to listen to, coming off sort of like Nirvana with loads of swagger instead of self-conscious angst. While Hot Snakes' sound is loosely classifiable as punk or hardcore, the band transcends easy genre labels with tight, focused songwriting, razor-sharp musicianship, and a stunning level of rhythmic heft. Rick Froberg screams with such urgency his vocal cords sound like they could snap at any moment, and the band behind him is a marvel of intensity and efficiency. The concise opening double shot of "If Credit's What Matters I'll Take Credit" and the title track (total running time: about four minutes) proves the band to be noise merchants of the highest order, with Froberg's fierce shout joined by a pummelling wall of guitars, piledriving drums, and basslines that sound like nukes going off. It doesn't let up from there, either: "Automatic Midnight" is pure adrenaline from start to finish, perfect for waking up on a hungover Sunday morning (or so I'm told). The album's best song, the woozy "Salton City," wavers and staggers like a drunk, propelled by a surprisingly intricate drum beat from Jason Sinclair. If you're into indie music, you owe this album a listen. Highly recommended."

Dry your eyes & give us a kiss!

J. Holmes | yokohama, japan | 10/22/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"i wept openly when one of my favorite bands, the incredible Drive Like Jehu broke up. but i was able to dry my eyes (years later...haha) when i heard about Hot Snakes. could it be as good as Jehu? well, no...of course not. but, happily, Automatic Midnight rocks with awesome energy and some absolutely killer songs! after a bit of a quick teasing start with "If Credit's What Matters..." the album kicks in with the title track and doesn't seem to really let up until the end. along the way, the intense surge of songs like "10th Planet" and "No Hands" burn holes in your ears with music that is not only exhilerating, but also tuneful and challenging. tracks like "Salton City" & "Our Work Fills The Pews" carries a bit of a rickety blues stomp with it and it sounds like Tom Waits stopped by the studio to lend some back up vocals. it's almost impossible not to compare Hot Snakes to Drive Like Jehu, but it's more like a stripped down and refined version... a brand new beast from the ashes. look out!"