--Ada Wofford
----Released 3 April 2021
Remember when you were young and the school bell rang? You'd rush outside and skateboard with your friends, fall on your face and have the time of your life. Then to top it off, you'd go play Tony Hawk Pro Skater on your friend's N64. Even in the virtual world you still sucked at skating, but there was that music. That strange new music that never appeared on the radio that was fun and energetic and made you wanna dance and shout. Well, I think Lot Lizards remember because they fucking embody it.
In my review for the self-titled EP from Philly punks, Uncle Dan I wrote, "Perhaps the biggest compliment I can give any band is that they sound like old Tony Hawk Pro Skater music, and I am hereby bestowing that honor upon Uncle Dan." And I meant it too. But I am hereby bestowing it upon Tampa punks, Lot Lizard. I can bestow it upon anyone, it's not a limited resource, but I never do it lightly! Listening to Lot Lizard's EP put me right back there, in the good ol' days.
The album is only four tracks, but I like that it's short because punk music should always come in short bursts; it just works better that way. The album has a somewhat lo-fi production and I love it. It sounds like it was recorded 20-25 years ago. It's not the type of hissy lo-fi that sounds like it was made in the 60s (which I also love but it wouldn't be appropriate for this record) it's the perfect type of lo-fi for this type of record. The sound references Bouncing Souls and H2O at times but the lyrics have the melodic charm of No Use For a Name and even Lagwagon. It's just four tracks of absolute fun.
When I reached out to Lot Lizards about their recording process and gear, they had this to say:
We recorded and mixed this at Dawson Sound in Port Richey, FL. It’s a new place that is run by our bud Tyler, who we know because he has played drums in a few bands in the Tampa area. The songs were mastered at Moathouse Studio in Gainesville by Roger Lima (from Less Than Jake) who is genuinely the coolest dude ever and it is super affordable to get stuff mastered by him.
Guitar-wise, I used a Gibson LP that I’ve had for a few years and an SG that I’ve had forever. The LP I ran through my live setup, which is a Mesa Boogie Mark 3 (1990) and a Fender Bassman reissue 2x12. With the SG, I used a Marshall Origin 50 through that Crate 4x12, basically cranked on clean channel with that old tube works overdrive pedal on the whole time. I have used that pedal on a bunch of different recordings, it’s so rad. Other pedals used were an Ibanez TS9, Small Clone chorus, and an MXR micro amp.
Alex plays a Fender P bass through a GK head and a Marshall 4x10 cab. We doubled the bass track, one going direct and one with a mic’d cab. Effects-wise, he uses a Sans Amp and I believe a delay (MXR Carbon Copy or something?)
Mikey used Tyler’s kit, which is a great sounding Gretch, with a mix of old Zildjian and Sabian cymbals.
It's so cool to hear that the album was mastered by a member of Less Than Jake. It makes perfect sense too because I could totally hear a song off of this EP in a playlist with some early Less Than Jake. In fact, the album art of the EP, created by Tony Goggles, really reminds me of the art style from the Losing Streak cover. I'm getting hung up on nostalgia right now, but in a way, I think that might be appropriate. When I told guitarist and vocalist Jon Barnes how much I like the album and that it reminds me of old Tony Hawk games he said, "Yeah, that’s pretty much what we were going for. Melodic skate/pop punk that, hopefully, people will sing along to!"
It's a throwback for sure, but Lot Lizards never sound disingenuous or recycled. The old is new again, and it fucking rocks. Download the album at BandCamp. And listen to "Great Escapes" below:
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