Labels: Records Or It Didn’t Happen – Stalemate
Review by: Andy Malcolm
I have been mightily impressed with this fine slab of chunky vinyl. Hail Brethren is from oop north, but they crank out a record that would be quite at home on No Idea. That doesn’t mean they sound like Hot Water Music. Not that much any way, not unless you count Forever and Counting, and there’s far much more to it than just gruff vocals over grooving post-hardcore riffage. Hail Brethren love to throw in the emo, with plenty of cry baby bits amidst the gruffness. They don’t do the gruff all the time, sometimes desperately singing a bit, in their funny accents and all. The LP oozes energy and a passion that I tend to crave in music of this kind, I am pretty sure that live they stagger around on stage bumping into each other and that kind of thing. Best song is “Synthetic Friendship”, which swoops and soars in turn, love the booming bass and chuggy guitars on this one, and the super twinklemo part towards the end. Could have done without the Owen-esque acousticzzz at the end of side A mind you. Luckily as soon as you flip it, they’re off to the races again. Hurrah! The second side contains no shocks, no disappointments, no shame. Except another acoustic track. GUYS?! So yeah, it’s more of the same. Blistering melodies, urgency and occasional pauses for breath. I really love it when they get the twinkle on, they have it nailed more so than most bands that’d be so bold to try and work it into music otherwise so hefty.
Well, there you go then. HB have cranked out a dashed fine debut here, especially as they haven’t even recorded a single or anything prior. The cheek of it! Basically if you need a sonic comparison, then it’s a bit like Yaphet Kotto, Small Brown Bike, End of a Year, and Resonance. There you go! Why did I bother with the rest of the review eh?