Austin Prog elite, CROCODILE, announce third album. A western called

'The Tale Of Otter, Thorn Eater, And The Colored Coyotes Of Hidden City'.

That's right, a progressive rock western.

A release date of October 12 2023 has been set for the highly anticipated third album from Austin TX prog rockers, Crocodile. The release follows their stunning 2019 album 'Howling Mad Black Music Under Hot Stars' and their 2018 classic debut 'His Name Is Stan And He's A Bad Motherf**ker'.

 An exciting and creative fusion of adventurous rock and roll and classic country music, 'The Tale Of Otter, Thorn Eater, And The Colored Coyotes Of Hidden City' tells the story of Otter, a white man who loses his young and beautiful wife Annalee one spring morning when their property is raided by a clan of Comanche Indians. He is broken and resolves to drink himself to death. 

And Thorn Eater, an American Indian, who loses his son Crawfish to smallpox. He is broken and resolves to find the place which his ancestors told of where one might reconnect with the spirit of their lost ones. A place called The Hidden City. 

On his journey Thorn Eater comes upon the Last Stop Saloon. A rough place in the middle of nowhere. Inside he has a run in with a drunken white slumped at the end of the bar (Otter) and after a few hateful words and a brawl, Thorn Eater, realizing they are the same in their pain and loss, tells Otter about The Hidden City and invites him to come along. They leave the Last Stop and Thorn Eater shares his tea with Otter. Peyote tea. They enter The Hidden City and the real story begins.

 

 

Crocodile is an adventurous rock band from Austin, Texas who produce exciting and original music which is not easily categorized. The band are unafraid to merge disparate influences (Gentle Giant, Steely Dan, Rush, ELO, Yes). Such strange bedfellows would sound clumsy in lesser hands, but rather than wear their influences on their sleeves, Crocodile blends them all in a wonderful way – The end result is always a totally original sound. But can they now mix country-western with progressive rock?

"Composer and guitarist Kevin Sims has created a progressive rock opera the likes of which we have not seen in decades" 

- ProgArchives

 

 

 

 

"Crocodile create a rock based Prog that incorporates a wide variety of influences that when blended together create some classic Ameri-Prog."  

- iO Pages Magazine

"Crocodile are a great addition to the Prog pantheon. This is the real deal!" 

- The Progressive Rock Files

"I told my wife I had an idea for an album concept. I would interview and record 7 homeless people and create 7 musical pieces based on what I imagined the inside of their minds sounded like. After a long pause I said 'Or we could do cowboys and indians'. She quickly said do that one. Haha"

Kevin Sims - guitar, vocals

I grew up on country music. Then I saw KISS on tv. Then later heard Tom Sawyer on the radio. Never thought those influences would coalesce into such a cool concept - minus the face paint."

Greg Seale - drums

"Of all the albums I thought I'd be a part of, a Spaghetti Western is the last setting I thought I would find in the progressive rock space. This album is such a journey!"

Philip Spann - keyboards

"This is not your father's country and western music. This is rockin' Crocodile style prog with country and western flavor."

Ted Thomas - bass guitar, harmony vocals

Into The Sunset (unreleased track)