Saigon Kick
The Lizard

THE REVIEW

It's a shame that this group lasted only 10 years (the last episode being the pitiful "Bastards" of 1999). A shame, because they had the winning cards and were decidedly different from everyone and everything (although the influences were evident, but for me the only REAL aliens on a rock level have always been King's X).

A year passes from the self-titled album, and Saigon Kick releases what will be their masterpiece, namely "The Lizard" from 1992, the last album with Kramer on vocals. The lineup is the same as the self-titled album, but this time their second chapter succeeds where the debut had failed. This time, the influence of Jane's Addiction is much less felt, and Saigon Kick puts more emphasis on the typically hard & heavy "physicality," making this album something thrilling with every listen.

Firstly, because "The Lizard" is absolutely complete, and secondly, it finally benefits from a production up to par.

The classic intro devoted (and perhaps plagiarized) to "Up The Beach" by Jane's Addiction is "Cruelty, the only weak flaw, if we want to be picky, in a perfect album. Hold up because here's the first slam to the face: "Hostile Youth" is hard rock done with class with Saigon Kick at full throttle! Scratching guitars, driving choruses, and a singer with excellent charisma! It is followed by the beautiful "Feel The Same Way" with a breathtaking and... rather unusual drum/keyboard intro! I would like to particularly point out the beautiful choruses that make it decidedly special, especially in the finale! We return to pounding hard with an almost hardcore intro with "Freedom," which possesses truly remarkable physicality but used intelligently (and I imagine it must have been a real mosh fest live!). The acoustic and fitting "God Of 42nd Street" makes us dream and ride territories so dear to King's X (in the central part), while the short and semi-punk "My Dog" paves the way for "Peppermint Tribe," a very cadenced song with a veil of psychedelic paranoia, which stands out not only for Jason Bieler's almost military parade-like guitar riff but also for the excellent work done by the entire rhythm section with DeVile and Varone on bass and drums respectively. An equally excellent ballad that closes the first part is the well-known "Love Is On The Way," with its graceful and gentle approach, almost caressing the sky, the work of a group that was definitely in tune on everything, both the slower and the harder parts.

The title track "The Lizard," with its menacing progression, opens to a decisively impactful hard rock, but sunny in the chorus part, where the whole group really gives their best. No time to breathe this time, as we dive into the booming "All Alright," with a more than inspired Bieler on guitar and an increasingly sharp Kramer. The short "Sleep" introduces another ballad, the best on the record, namely the incredible "All I Want," with superb melodies and captivating rhythmic solutions. We return to another little hard rock/heavy gem with the compelling "Body Bags," featuring excellent tempo changes and a Kramer that's nothing short of "perverse" vocally! "Miss Jones" sees a small return to the alternative sounds of Jane's Addiction, in the best way, to be clear, with some small funky solutions and absolutely winning choruses! We approach the end with the epic "World Goes Round," which contains various influences, including King's X, Jane's again, Beatles, and the list could go on, as I believe this song can be considered their quintessence. The playful and fun "Chanel" closes, a nice and sincere way to say "that's all for now, folks."

"The Lizard" is not easy to assimilate: it takes several listens to fully appreciate it, as it embraces various genres, but in the rock field, I think it was really difficult to produce something so unique that wasn't purely hard or heavy. Like it or not, in the end, you'll find yourself with a true rock gem with a thousand facets, which I believe is hard to avoid.

With Kramer's exit from the group, things will never be the same. The misstep will occur with "Water" while "Devil In The Details" will be an excellent recovery that will, however, be followed by the terrible "Bastards."