Crocodiles: Summer Of Hate

After the dudes in No Age sang Crocodiles’ praises a few months back, a blog rush ensued. People got a little crazy and started throwing out Wavves comparisons, and for a brief moment, the mania and volume of that buzz seemed to drown out the San Diego duo’s songs—which happen to be excellent. Taking their name from Echo & The Bunnymen’s debut, Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell employ an equally indebted pop template, cribbing shades and poses from The Jesus And Mary Chain in equal measure. But it isn’t just a genre study. The heat-seeking “I Wanna Kill,” though something of a sonic Frankenstein, boasts a carrier-sized chorus and four-note lick that’s simple, addictive garage candy. While floor-rockers like “Soft Skull (In My Room)” and “Flash Of Light” feel flat and one-dimensional by comparison, the softer synth voyages of “Sleeping With The Lord” and “Young Drugs” feel expansive and nourishing in all the right ways. And as the ever-crescendoing title track hits its final, clangorous stride, its crash signals something worthy of more than just fleeting cyberlove.