Photo courtesy of Applehouse Records

In August of 2006 I went with a couple friends to see a show at Coffee Oasis in Bremerton, WA, featuring a band that I heard of that sound promising. The location was pretty seedy, but usually that’s a sure sign for a good show by my standards.After enduring multiple hours of Kitsap County’s poorest screamo bands (and by enduring I mean we sat outside under a flag pole for the majority of the time) the band I was so curious about made the stage.

Their set was short, but it showed great promise. I bought their demo for something like $1.10 (I believe they were just asking for donations). This was one of the best deals I’ve ever made.

Alligators don’t have a reputation for being the friendliest of animals. The band Alligators doesn’t have a reputation for being the friendliest of pop-rock either.

I interviewed the quintet from Bremerton, WA last February for The Falcon and they explained to me how they are developing their own style of “interesting pop.” There is something “interesting” about Alligators’ music. When the music starts, it seems very approachable. The beginning melodies stick in your head like a virus, the kind of virus you don’t mind having.

Then something happens. Vocalist Joshua Trembley starts screaming. Not the As I Lay Dying or mewithoutYou type of screaming, but the type of screaming Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin might do if his voice was hooked up to a distortion pedal. At first it is offputting, but then it becomes endearing.

Trembley’s voice could be a make or break for potential fans. For me personally, it adds a unique element to the band. Perhaps I am just jaded because I have been following the band for so long. But honestly, the music is just well orchestrated. There are no gimmicks.

Synths, cellos, and horns are crafted into the tracks on their debut album “Piggy & Cups” masterfully. What Alligators do best is experiment with pop music. They can create songs that sound radio-friendly, such as “Where Does It Hide?” but also experiment with more worldly percussion in the transition from the track “Way I” to “Magic Woman.”

Just as mysterious as their music is, so is their falling out. Alligators announced this past month on their Facebook.com page that they will be breaking up. It is hard to tell farce from truth. They released statements that because Trembley is pursuing a career in meteorology and that the rest of the band will be reforming as a cover band with a steady weekly gig at a local Bremerton bar.

Just because the band is now defunct, doesn’t mean that their music cannot still be enjoyed. Check out their website and Myspace.com page to listen.

http://www.wearealligators.com

http://www.myspace.com/alligatorpocketbook