Customer Reviews

Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My impression from listening to this repeatedly is this is no doubt a disc comprised of material the band had under their belt for awhile; it's all expertly written and performed, with every scream and percussive whomp and clank perfectly orchestrated. No fat or filler to be found here--it's straight-ahead melodic rock and roll that nevertheless places beat and noise above all (play it loud!). And despite the fact that this rocks relentlessly, what pushes this far ahead of the rest of the pack is the novelty of the arrangments, and the band's (and producer's) willingness to strip these tunes down to their bare essentials, all rattle and thrash and wheeze and whine and hooks that burrow in (Skeleton Key is a very evocative name for their kind of music). I can't give you a favorite from this disc--it all seems to be of a piece to me--but I first heard "Scratch" on a sampler CD and was hooked. The songs are quick bursts of dynamic energy, ...This economy is to be admired, I think, and it leaves you hungry for more. This is one of my all-time favorites.

i don't understand why some albums don't get huge. this is one of them, i mean they were on lollapalooza, they were on capital. i don't know how much money went into promotion, or if it even would have mattered, but damn, this album should have been huge. i just don't get it man.

This is one of my "desert island" discs -- one that I must have to survive. As another reviewer states, I cannot say enough good things about this album and this band. Brilliantly twisted guitar and percussion sounds. Darkly comical and intelligent lyrics (sung well). Incredible. Fabulous. Great. Buy it.

I just happened to listen to this album, and it turned out to be excellent! I can't wait for their next CD! Skeleton Key knows how to create great music! This CD is one of my favorites!!

this album should have been huge, what a shame for the world of music. primus-esque funk, punk and metal brilliantly blended mad carnival barker vocals, astounding and arresting lyrics...somebody put this back in print so I don't have to spend 50 bucks to get the amazing original packaging!

Erik Sanko, bassist and puppeteer (odd combo?, Google him, and see what fantastic and haunting puppets he creates, they complement the lyrics of many of his songs).

Skeleton Key is an off-kilter foray into sound that still retains the pop sensibility that was on display in Fertile Crescent, a one-record project that felt a lot like an XTC album.

The song from Fantastic Spikes that sticks in my mind is "All the Things I've Lost." The double-entendre lyrics are among Erik's best.

I have to agree with the other reviews in that I'm not sure why this album never went anywhere. I still pull it out, year after year, month after month, and it hasn't left my iPod since I got the thing. Pure, gut punching, raw energy from start to finish. Drummer Steve Calhoon is an absolute beast (listen to Wide Open) and Rick Lee's percussion is insane. It's definitely different, but it rocks really damn hard, and it's a consistently great record, 7 years later.

All I can say is this album is awesome, but if you're looking at buying it, try and find the japanese relese, you get four extra tracks, and they're well worth the extra dosh you have to fork out.

....

This album is incredible. It's a mix of really driving rock, good melodies, experimentation that doesn't ..., and punk attitude. Very refreshing. They've got some unique song structures, and use some crazy percussion to spice things up. There's no overplaying - everything's focused. Anytime I'm getting burned out on music I pop this in. The ending of "Wide Open" still blows me away every time I hear it.

I found Skeleton Key in a used CD bin in L.A. I bought the CD on the name of the band alone. I can't say enough about this band, this is one of my best CD's ever.