Labels: Harlan – Mountain – UndeRadar
Review by: Ian Johnson
Halo Perfecto broke up in 2003. They also released their first and only album and went on tour. They were a rock band (guitar, bass and drums) from Olneyville, RI, USA.
Their record, Hospitals In Other Countries, was released as a split project among various labels, including the prestigious Mountain Collective and the relatively unknown Harlan and UnderRadar. And it sounds like that would suggest, too–a bouncy, energetic mix of indie pop and hardcore. It’s the bands ability to juggle these two sides of itself so well; Even the first track manages to trick you a bit. “Rites” begins with rumbling bass and then staccato guitar bursts before doing the unpredictable thing and dropping to a sing-song melody as the vocals enter.
Their almost dancey, melodic side is explored during “Don’t Just Say You Will” which begins with an upbeat, repeated guitar phrase and tapped drums until the bass comes in and makes the urge to dance even stronger. When the vocals finally surface, it’s during a guitar-driven, melodically descending verse.
The vocalists, Mike Taylor and Ryan Seaton, ought to both be commended on a job well done. Though they’ve both been doing this for a long time, what stands out is the contrast between their styles. Mike tends to shout, scream and sound like a tough guy. Ryan croons and harmonizes and, God forbid, hits notes. At times their voices try to fight for prime space in the mix; During “Sevens” Ryan’s background mantras compete with Mikes more rhythmic shouting. On a song like “Dance Music” they change directions entirely and add depth to the sound with the ever classic “oooooooo.”
The lyrics are nothing less than expected from these guys. Like a mix of Palatka and Anton Bordman (Mike’s old hardcore band and Dan’s old hardcore band respectively) with Rainy Day Regatta (Ryan’s acoustic folk/pop duo), the lyrics are political without being too obtrusive, and they rarely veer into triteness when addressing more personal topics. Appropriately vague, “Shocked/Scarred” opens with Ryan’s gorgeous, melodic voice intoning, “Arms around my arms at my side by side / With me once only once is enough for me now.”
Something very important to me when it comes to this type of music, and some would call me a snob for it, is authenticity. If a band comes across as politically minded, I’d like them to back up their politics with their actions. It’s admirable, then, that the record packaging seems to be entirely handmade”gorgeous silkscreened covers, photocopied handwritten lyric sheets. Well worth the eight dollars or so it will cost you to order it from any variety of punk/hardcore distros, including Ebullition Records and Level Plane.