Saigon Kick - The Lizard

Anyone familiar with this album? Opinions? Comments?

I really like The Lizard. Not quite as good as their S/T but still lots of good, quirky songs on it. Favorite tracks are Peppermint Tribe, God of 42nd Street, Feel The Same Way and one of the few ballads I like Love Is On The Way.

Listening to God of 42nd Street right now. Sort of has a Beatle-esque sound to it.

The overall sound of this band isn't that far removed from Extreme and even Alice in Chains at times. Lots of vocal harmonies, heavy guitars, hooky pop choruses, varied songwriting, etc. Almost has a slight alternative hard rock sound to it. Probably a bit before it's time. First time I've actually ever listened to this CD. Still haven't decided what I think of it. I need to give it a few more spins.

The S/T really has some Beatles-esque moments on it and is even more all over the place stylistically. Saigon Kick tend to get lumped in with hair metal but they're not really like that at all IMO.

The reason I bought The Lizard was for the 2 songs Love Is On The Way and All I Want.I think it is pretty good overall.Freedom and Feel The Same Way standout too.

tohostudios wrote:

The S/T really has some Beatles-esque moments on it and is even more all over the place stylistically. Saigon Kick tend to get lumped in with hair metal but they're not really like that at all IMO.

Not sure how they get lumped in with hair metal. It's not even remotely hair metal, pop metal, etc.

ultmetal wrote:

Listening to God of 42nd Street right now. Sort of has a Beatle-esque sound to it.

The overall sound of this band isn't that far removed from Extreme and even Alice in Chains at times. Lots of vocal harmonies, heavy guitars, hooky pop choruses, varied songwriting, etc. Almost has a slight alternative hard rock sound to it. Probably a bit before it's time. First time I've actually ever listened to this CD. Still haven't decided what I think of it. I need to give it a few more spins.

Best description of this CD and band in general I have read in a long time, and I agree ULT slightly ahead of their time, if they had released this album just a few years later it would have been even a bigger seller.

Quote :

I really like The Lizard. Not quite as good as their S/T but still lots of good, quirky songs on it.

They are a quirky band. They have some dead on heavy songs and others are a little on the weird side like a modern psychedelic pop.

I had this on cassette years ago, purchased (or probably pilfered from Tower Records) only for that 'Love Is On The Way' song. I don't recall much about it other than I didn't really like it all that much. I'd agree that it was a little ahead of it's time and I didn't know what to make of it back then. I've thought about picking it up again on cd but haven't.

This should be in the rock trivia thread... but do you know what actor owned the record label they were signed to for this album?

Good album, no question...great vocals.

The Lizard 9.75/10
S/T 10/10

Very good band. Definitely a bit outside the mainstream mold, though. You expected 80s rock, but they were never really that at all.

A lot of my friends were huge into Saigon Kick back when I was in high school. I gave them a listen and I didn't see what was so good about them. I wasn't into it at all, they just sounded boring to me. Many years later my friend shows me a song off of Water I havent heard from them before and I really liked it. A couple months back I started picking up their albums. I have to say I was wrong about them the whole time. I think this was one of those cases where they were ahead of their time and I just wasn't ready for it. Maybe because I was just getting into metal and listening to a lot of heavier bands. I like all their releases and have them all except Bastards which was just a Japanese release. I'll probably never get a hold of it either since it goes for $100 or more at times on ebay or amazon.

My friend who turned me back onto Saigon Kick wrote to Chris McLernon the bass player who was on the last couple of records and he actually wrote back. He said I should post it up here but I was looking for an opportunity to and maybe this is it. so heres the email. enjoy.
-EMAIL-
Rich February 20 at 11:07pm

Your bass lines on Devil in the Details and Water are still the biggest reason I listen to those albums to this day and even picked up a bass myself. It was your writing in Metal Edge that gave me the heads up on Dennis Dunaway and his work in the Alice Cooper Band...Thank You for that. I wish the song "Salvation" off of "Moments from the Fringe" had an ending and didn't just ....stop. lol. It's probably my favorite SK song. Thanks for the music

About ten years ago I saw Matt, Tom, Phil and Jeff Blando perform the first two SK kick albums. Before the show I ran into Phil and he was talking to everyone. Anyway, I left halfway into the show 'cause Matt seemed drunk and got annoying and all he did between songs was bash Water and Devil in the Details which I love. Phil did the same thing before the show began. My question is why so much malice from Matt and Phil on those two albums. Matt wasn't on them so i can use my imagination there but if you google phil, matt, or even Tom...everybody talks smurf poo about those releases which I grew up on and still think are brilliant. Thought maybe you could shed a little light so I can put this confusion to rest. Either way, i'm still listening and passing what I think are brilliant recordings onto others.

Chris McLernon February 22 at 1:07am
Rich -

Thanks for the compliments - with a talent as big as JB's, it is sometimes easy to get overlooked in SK. So I appreciate any attention to my playing, especially since we aren't exactly in the public eye (or ears) any more.

Salvation does go on. It was missing the last chorus (I think) and the guitar solo. I'll check my old stuff and see what the heck it does.

As for the 2000 SK Angerfest - to use a Zen phrase - the empty drum bangs the loudest. At that point, there were some really bad feelings smothering good accomplishments. So I'm happy to say alot of that has lifted with time.

I always remind PV that his drumming is great on those 2 CD's. He used to deny it; out of anger, I think. But he's OK with it now. Being a fan of the band myself, I like them all.

And if you're passing us onto to new listeners, I can't thank you enough.

The plus side is, factions in the band are speaking for the first time in a dozen years. Who knows - maybe we four might get together and actually be social!

Weirder things have happened, especially in this band.

Take care and thanks again,

Chris

Troublezone wrote:

This should be in the rock trivia thread... but do you know what actor owned the record label they were signed to for this album?

Michael Douglas.

I coulda sworn there was a thread about this band/album (that I started) around here somewhere but I'm too lazy to go look for it now. Anyway... I dig this band/album. They were a good band, perhaps a little too weird/artsy for their own good. The hair metal people (who the band were marketed towards) thought they were "too alternative" and the alternative crowd didn't give them the time of day because their lone minor "hit" was a power ballad ("Love is on the Way"). I lost track of them after their first three albums (self titled, LIZARD and WATER) but all three of them still get some occasional spins from me. THE LIZARD is my fave of the three, most likely because it was the first album of theirs that I heard.

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

I'll probably never get a hold of it either since it goes for $100 or more at times on ebay or amazon.

Really? I saw that album recently for $18.99 and passed on it. Haha. Doh!

Quote :

Michael Douglas.

Correct.

lol yea man every day my friend looks for me on either ebay, amazon or just anywhere and the price is always up there. you should've grabbed it.

I remember reading that Marilyn Manson was a fan of them before he was famous. Apparently he was a small time rock journalist and wrote about them a few times.

Troublezone wrote:

Quote :

Michael Douglas.

Correct.

I remember seeing a pic of the band with Michael Douglas at some sort of industry function in Metal Edge mag back in the day. I wonder if "Third Stone Records" ever released any other bands/albums? The only band I ever heard of on that label was Saigon Kick.

I saw Saigon Kick live when they promoting the 'Water' CD and I thought they were great live, I think they got lumped into the hair metal genre because of what Freddy stated, their big radio hit was a ballad. History would repeat itself with Extreme.

manny wrote:

I saw Saigon Kick live when they promoting the 'Water' CD and I thought they were great live, I think they got lumped into the hair metal genre because of what Freddy stated, their big radio hit was a ballad. History would repeat itself with Extreme.

And on the Water album, Jason the guitarist became the lead singer. I think he did a great job too.

I really like this band. "The Lizard" is my favorite -- but I like all their stuff.

The first two albums are great. I really enjoy both of them. Water had it's moments but was so-so compared to the S/T and The Lizard. Devil In The Details their fourth album was really good too.

Self titled just landed in my mailbox today from somebody.