The Sultans are a Rocket from the Crypt spin-off led by
John "Speedo" Reis, but it's not really fair to compare
the two bands, as the Sultans are far less experimental
and aggressive than The Crypt. That's not a bad thing,
really — the Sultans play simple, straightforward rock
music, and are the Rolling Stones to Rocket's Beatles,
maybe. Shipwrecked is instantly likable and,
judging by the lyrics, it finds Reis in the wake of a
particularly bad breakup — uncomplicated lines like
"It
never meant nothing to you" in "It Meant Nothing" and
"You can call it what
you want, but I still end up with nothing" from "Try to
Forget You" still
somehow strike a chord, 'cos, hey, who hasn't been there
before? Someone who has never been in love, I suppose.
Honestly, Shipwrecked isn't that much of a
departure from the first Sultans disc (the more rockin'
Ghost Ship, which also comes highly
recommended), but it's worth picking up if only to
spite Speedo's ex-lover. And it's better than anything
The Hives could ever cook up. Oh, and the cover art,
which features a menacing drawing of jungle women
surrounded by the skulls of their victims, along with a
very worried-looking man, is awesome to boot.
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