These Arms Are Snakes cultivated a small but fervent fanbase across multiple continents with their signature combination of synth-infused noise rock; bad-trip psychedelia, flamboyant, proto-metal boogie; and unhinged, basement-show hardcore before imploding at the end of 2009. And while their full-length albums remain fitting testaments to the band’s frantic urgency and stylistic fluidity, there is a treasure trove of deep cuts buried on B-sides and split releases that further reinforce their position as one of the weirdest and wildest acts of the decade.
For the first time, those rarities and one-offs have been compiled into a cohesive overview of These Arms Are Snakes’ lifespan on the double LP Duct Tape & Shivering Crows, set for release on April 15 on Suicide Squeeze.
The collection’s track listing runs in reverse chronological order, starting with one of These Arms Are Snakes’ final recordings, the fiery and fuzzed-out scorcher “Meet Your Mayor.” Originally appearing on a small-run split seven-inch with short-lived, U.K. post-punkers Tropics, the album opener perfectly encapsulates the band’s penchant for hallucinatory guitar hooks, thick bass riffs, rhythmic punch, and panache, and Steve Snere’s signature acerbic vocals.
The remainder of side A is comprised of the band’s songs from their split LP with Russian Circles—“Camera Shy” and “Trix.” Both tracks showcase a throbbing, locked-in, and heavily punctuated rhythm section garnished with delay-drenched guitar leads.
Side B of Duct Tape & Shivering Crows contains two covers—a rendition of Lost Sounds’ “Energy Drink and the Long Walk Home” from a split seven-inch with The Coathangers and a sinister twist on Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box” from Robotic Empire’s In Utero, In Tribute compilation. It also contains two B-sides from the group’s last two LPs. “Washburn” was cut from Tail Swallower & Dove due to vinyl time allowances and later showed up on a split seven-inch with All the Saints on Touch & Go Records. Similarly, “Old Paradise” didn’t make it onto Easter, but it served to evenly weigh both sides of the album’s lead single on the Good Friday seven-inch.
Side C is dedicated to These Arms Are Snakes’ songs from their collaborative EP with Harkonen released on Hydra Head Records back in 2004. These two songs—“Payday Loans” and “Hook on This”—capture the band at their rowdiest moment … a total throwback to the early ‘90s San Diego-brand of unglued and chaotic hardcore. Side D takes the listeners all the way back to the band’s first demo: four woozy and noise-addled amalgams of math rock and post-punk that would later be polished up for their debut EP This Is Meant To Hurt You.
Duct Tape & Shivering Crows Track List:
1. Meet Your Mayor
2. Camera Shy
3. Trix
4. Energy Drink and the Long Walk Home
5. Heart Shaped Box
6. Washburn
7. Old Paradise
8. Payday Loans
9. Hook on This
10. Riding the Grape Dragon (Demo)
11. Run It Through the Dog (Demo)
12. Diggers of Ditches Everywhere (Demo)
13. The Blue Rose (Demo)
Preorder Duct Tape & Shivering Crows on vinyl here.
