Skip to main content

jamie-bulman
11th November 2014

Album: Hookworms – The Hum

Hookworms deliver more of the same on their third album
Categories:
TLDR

Released 11th October

Weird World/Domino Records

6/10

Leeds rockers Hookworms are a truly collaborative effort. By choosing to be named by their initials as individuals, the band shuns the ‘rock-star’ trope in their ego-free, DIY, improvisation-led compositions. It is rare in the days of the radio-friendly single and the shuffle-friendly album to hear records with such a sense of unity, feeling like a polished jam that just happened to be picked up by an array of microphones. The all-guns-blazing energy of The Hum is balance by ambient noodlings, tying the whole album into a fuzzy free-flowing whole. This builds on, and largely imitates the critically-acclaimed formula of their previous record, Pearl Mystic.

The lo-fi vocals sound as through they were recorded through a builder’s radio turned up to 11, blending seamlessly with the instrumentals. Drums are full and drive the whole album along like a freight train at breakneck speed. Guitars are dynamic and colorful. Organs and synths are crystalline in their contrast. The resulting wash of sound is underpinned by a bubbling energy, threatening to boil over at any moment into anarchy.

‘The Impasse’ opens with an oscillating wave of synths that are quickly pushed aside by a cacophonous, head-banging groove with screaming, distorted vocals. ‘Off-Screen’ offers a moment of respite with some beautifully delicate vocals over subtle percussion and a melodic bassline, and smacks of classic shoe-gaze bands such as My Bloody Valentine. The album closes with ‘Retreat’, a cheerful, almost surfy tune which is stark in its contrast to the rest of the record.

This album is great for all the same reasons we loved Pearl Mystic—great contrasts between convoluted noise and crystal clear melodies, screaming punk and sensitive vocalisings. Hell, it could have even been recorded in the same session. And therein lies my only criticism: it is difficult to observe any real development in what by all accounts is a great aesthetic. Be excited for the record to drop and give it a listen, but if you’ve heard or loved Pearl Mystic, don’t expect a challenge.


More Coverage

Elvis posthumously achieves his dreams at AO Arena

Elvis in Concert is back, with the King live on screen with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and special guest Jerry Schilling

Kelis brings all the boys to Albert Hall

Kelis is coming back to Manchester – over three years after the pandemic forced her to cancel her last gig in the city

Review: La Clique

The Mancunion attended La Clique’s exclusive launch party to celebrate its Northern premiere – and we were absolutely blown away

Live review: Samantha Barks at Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Musical theatre icon Samantha Barks performed a superb solo concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane – where she usually plays Elsa in Frozen