Obits
I Blame You
(Sub Pop)
Fans of the defunct rock outfits Drive Like Jehu and Hot Snakes tend to divide into one of two factions: those who revere Rick Froberg, frontman of said bands, and those who prefer the work of guitarist John Reis, leader of the esteemed San Diego rockers Rocket from the Crypt. After Hot Snakes' abrupt demise in 2005, nothing was left to fill the gap for either sect but the posthumous releases Thunder Down Under, a live in-studio recorded at ABC Studios in Australia, and Peel Sessions (Hot Snakes were the last act to record for John Peel's radio show before his death). In 2008, Reis released See You in Magic with his new group, the Night Marchers. The Reis camp was appeased, but for many, Magic was more a continuation of Rocket from the Crypt than an answer to Jehu or Hot Snakes.
That same year, Froberg's new band, Obits, quietly released the One Cross Apiece 7-inch on Stint Records and shortly thereafter signed with Sub Pop. Now that label is releasing I Blame You, the Obits' full-length debut. It contains nearly 40 minutes of taut, edgy guitar rock executed by four talented veterans, and while it's far cleaner and less thunderously distorted than anything released by their predecessors, it's no less a pleasing contribution to the post-punk sphere. Like Hot Snakes' records, I Blame You builds momentum song after song, culminating in some epic moments. Greg Simpson's bass figures prominently, especially on the driving groove of "Two-Headed Coin" and the swaggering rhythm of "Talking to the Dog." Froberg has refined his voice from the shrill shout-singing of his previous work, and it shows on tracks like "Lilies in the Street" and "SUD," whose breakdownsâcoupled with strident guitar lines and well-placed backup vocalsârepresent some of the most arresting parts of the record.
Overall, I Blame You fills the postâHot Snakes gapâfor now, anyway. 
