Since the release of Gamma Gamma Ray! in 2003, these snotty Ottawa punks have been writing some of the best non-Ramones Ramones songs this side of Chixdiggit. Lakeside Cabin, their third full-length, is actually a different story. While Back to the Bin, Gammas follow-up, hinted at the bands slightly darker side, this latest offering is the full-fledged realisation of the Creeps unique approach to morbid, fast, catchy punk rock. While the Ramones influence is still prominent, its taken a back seat to a huge hard-on for Walk Among Us, and the band are all the better for it. While lead singer Skottie Lobotomy lacks Danzigs gloomy baritone, hes got the melodic sensibility and dark lyrical tendencies down pat, and the fact that he still sings like Joey just makes the whole thing unique. Its kind of like Rocket to Static Age or something. Songs like "All the Way Home and "Palisades Park are wonderfully poetic, twisted and catchy odes to murderous rampages that somehow manage to avoid becoming hopelessly cheesy, while "Were Going Down is a straight-up harrowing song about dying in a plane crash that will have its killer final hook stuck in your head for days after a single listen.
The lyrical tone on your records has gotten more sinister as your music has become a little darker. Were those simultaneous changes conscious or are you guys just slowly headed down a very dark path?
Guitarist and vocalist Skottie Lobotomy: I think "slowly might be the operative word in this case. For a variety of reasons, like Jordy living in Toronto for a year and each of us playing off and on in several different bands, it took three years for us to release a new album. So I think some of the changes or progressions you hear are simply the result of the intervening time between albums, and the natural improvement as songwriters and musicians that youd expect over such a long period of time. At least, I hope.
It seems like its hard to be a "dark punk rock band these days without sounding like My Chemical Romance or AFI.
I think the biggest thing that separates us from those bands, apart from large bank accounts, plush tour busses and bad makeup, is the fact that we retain a sense of humour about the whole thing, even if the humour itself is dark. Its not that our songs are funny, per se, but its just that we dont take ourselves too seriously. Somewhere in there is always a tongue planted somewhat firmly in cheek.
(Black Pint)The lyrical tone on your records has gotten more sinister as your music has become a little darker. Were those simultaneous changes conscious or are you guys just slowly headed down a very dark path?
Guitarist and vocalist Skottie Lobotomy: I think "slowly might be the operative word in this case. For a variety of reasons, like Jordy living in Toronto for a year and each of us playing off and on in several different bands, it took three years for us to release a new album. So I think some of the changes or progressions you hear are simply the result of the intervening time between albums, and the natural improvement as songwriters and musicians that youd expect over such a long period of time. At least, I hope.
It seems like its hard to be a "dark punk rock band these days without sounding like My Chemical Romance or AFI.
I think the biggest thing that separates us from those bands, apart from large bank accounts, plush tour busses and bad makeup, is the fact that we retain a sense of humour about the whole thing, even if the humour itself is dark. Its not that our songs are funny, per se, but its just that we dont take ourselves too seriously. Somewhere in there is always a tongue planted somewhat firmly in cheek.