On the original
Creeker, which arrived 14 months prior to this 2019 sequel,
Upchurch remained chained to his hick-hop beginnings. That's not the case here. From the moment "Animal" kicks off the proceedings with a dose of heavy doom, it's clear that
Upchurch is now concerned with hard rock -- specifically the sound of Seattle. He is still steeped in the South and dabbles with the occasional verse -- they both come to a head on "Hillbilly Psycho" and "Legend of the South" -- but nearly all of
Creeker II moves at the same menacing gait as
Alice in Chains, a tempo that suits the timbre and range of his voice. While it's difficult to discern whether
Upchurch intentionally followed "Dirty Elvis" with "Blue Moon" as a nod to the King of Rock & Roll, there's no denying that the former clown is getting increasingly serious and progressively somber with each passing release. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine