IT’S ALWAYS SEEMED A BIT TRITE to me to describe a band through the lens of its name. But listening to the new Chameleons album ‘Metamorphosis’ as a soundtrack over David Attenborough nature documentaries about chameleons is too rad to resist.
But before you rush to youtubes and the streaming stuff, keep in mind, this is the Kitsap band Chameleons. Not ‘The Chameleons UK,’ the 1980s-era English rock band that now goes by ChameleonsVox, which will likely create an entirely different vibe when soundtracked to nature footage.
Chameleons, the Kitsap band, have a heavier, more sludgy, jungly thing happening on this album, their second release. It synchs up quite nicely with scenes of the big-eyed, horn-faced, brightly colored reptiles slithering through tree branches, stalking prey and battling one another for territory in Madagascar. Often the chameleons on film stomp and skulk in time with Chameleons’ music as the creatures’ natural gait lines up with the slow swaggering rhythm of the band.
The reptile’s stereoptic eyes erratically dart in time with off-beat cymbal hits. At points, the vocals swell in time with a male raising its voice in competition for a mate.
Some chameleons life spans last only four to five months, which means they’ve only got one shot to reproduce. This female, Attenborough says, is already pregnant so it raises its voice back at the males, in time with the music, warning them to keep their distance.
And with the flick of the chameleon’s trademark ridiculously long tongue, snatching an insect for its next meal, Chameleons’ soundtrack strikes a new tempo and changes its colors.
Interesting fact, according to National Geographic, the belief that chameleons change colors in order to blend in with their environment is a misnomer. The colorful reptiles put on vibrant displays to attract mates or to flex on potential rivals. Color changes can also indicate a chameleon’s mood or temperature. There’s quite a few color changes of mood and temperature on this album.
The band released the album last month, playing it in full, front to back, at two different shows—one at Allyn Days and the other at The Charleston with Stop! and The Edison Cabinet. It’s out now on all the streaming stuff. It was recorded at Bremerton’s Emtpy Lane Studios, it looks like they pressed some CDs, and, typical for Chameleons, it’s got some rad album art. Go check it out, see for yourself and catch the band live Sept. 1 or Sept. 30 at the Chuck.
And I’m gonna get back to these nature documentaries. // JAMES MUNK
CHAMELEONS play Sept. 1 w/ Verota and Flying Foelschs and Sept. 30 w/ Mos Generator, Jack And The Dull Boy and They Walk Among Us, both shows 8 p.m., all ages, at the Charleston, Bremerton. More on the socials @chameleonsband_pnw
