These Arms Are Snakes

Album: Tail Swallower & Dove
Record Label: Suicide Squeeze


On their third full length record, Seattle’s These Arms Are Snakes have embraced the idea that more is more. More guitars, more rhythm and more vocals give the record a bigger feeling than their previous outings. Densely layered waves of distorted and delayed guitar – no surprise, considering the band’s ties to Botch and the northwestern math scene – weave in and out, creating cathartic soundscapes that are intriguing and bold. Tail Swallower & Dove makes it apparent that the These Arms Are Snakes want to be loud.

The biggest difference between this record and the band’s back catalogue is their new rhythmic approach. Almost every song features breakdowns during which the guitars and melody take their main cues from the rhythm section. This gives the band a tighter and more direct sound, but it was always their disregard of tight songwriting that differentiated tracks from one another. At times, Tail Swallower & Dove suffers from sounding like one long song.

Like any record that gets too close to Chicago, Tail Swallower & Dove is sure to be showered with comparisons to the Jesus Lizard and Big Black – and rightfully so: These Arms Are Snakes take serious cues from that era of Chicago rock. But for every bit of Chicago that’s in there, there’s something else to take from it, be it the Blood Brothers-esque squeals of “Red Line Season” or “Ethric Double,” the best song Jane’s Addiction never wrote.

Tail Swallower & Dove shows a band in transition. Maybe next time These Arms Are Snakes will be certain enough in their direction to create a record that rivals their initial offerings. For now, this album will tide listeners over just fine.