Saigon Kick - Saigon Kick (1991)

They came, they rocked, and they so should easily have conquered, but Florida’s Saigon Kick were just too damn cool to get anywhere, the immediate mystical openings of ‘New World’ able to crank it up with anything more seemingly metal, yet be so lush at the same time, vocalist Matt Kramer owning a breezy, distinctive charm, making him a vocalist for a new generation of alternate metal types who revelled in the new wave of snake-hipped frontmen spinning curious yarns of love, light and life instead of the usual smorgasbord of blood, sweat and tears.
Saigon Kick should have been huge, the debut album slinked, swerved and shook like no other, boasting heavy guitars one moment, then a Beatles bounce the next, a fusion of funky love rock a la Mother Love Bone, and ‘80s hair metal. The diversity and bewildering talent quite simply confusing those just not expecting such a rush of sugary pop and shining melody. Saigon Kick, certainly on their first two records, epitomise that late ‘80s, early ‘90s alternative take on the metal scene which seemed to at once encapsulate the irritating funk metal trend, as well as retro rock, other acts such as Warrior Soul, Jane’s Addiction, Primus, Faith No More, Kik Tracee, Mindfunk, Mordred, I Love You, Love/Hate blah blah, all being lumped into one huge cauldron which although vibrant and innovative, was also becoming too full, hence the quick dissipation of the scene.
Saigon Kick should have had a career, and although other albums emerged after the first two, but without the enigmatic vocalist, one cannot feel, when you listen to the bombastic splendour of say ‘Come Take Me Now’ and bouncing ‘My Life’, that the scene was robbed of a great band.
All great things come to an end I guess, but SK were never given a fair crack of the whip, was it because one minute they could write a dirty Crue lick, and then a thrashy chant, was it this inaccessible awkwardness that turned off the metal audience ? What’s far more frustrating also is that the bands that actually did become successful, i.e. Nirvana, Chilli Peppers, Pearl Jam, were all comparatively bland in comparison, but as metal succumbed to such corporate drivel, so bands such as Saigon Kick prematurely perished.
9/10