Hot Snakes

Checkmate b/w Not In Time

scum stats: limited to 500 blue vinyl copies, sold exclusively on the Hot Snakes 2019 UK tour

A pleasant surprise arrived from the rock and roll juggernaut drummer Jason Kourkounis. Across the Delta ’72, Bardo Pond, Scout Niblett, Burning Brides, Night Marchers and probably 15 more I’m forgetting, Jason has always been the most solid of dudes.

So it should come as no surprise that he sent me this latest limited 7-inch from Hot Snakes unsolicited. Because that’s what solid dudes do. A hand-written note well-wishing the fam? Classy.

Unexpected vinyl is the BEST kind of vinyl.

The jams are tight, in that same, consistent mold of the Snakes career. In the words of Hot Snakes’ Rick Froberg, “Checkmate” is “big, fatty content freshly extruded from the Hot Snakes sausage machine. Same ingredients, new flav.”

Couldn’t have said it better myself.

Their show in ’18 in Nashville was bonkers packed…I had no idea folks rode that hard for the band. But I should’ve…because strong pedigreed rock and roll feels like a dying vintage these days and folks who KNOW pay it respect.

Additionally, the video clip is clever, simple and seemingly cheaply attained. EVERYTHING A MUSIC VIDEO SHOULD BE and goddamned if it is not a HELL of a lot harder to accomplish than it seems.

A strong addition to their already impeccable oeuvre. Grab it if you can find it.