The great reviews keep rolling in for the new HorrorPops album!
The Horrorpops mix a plethora of different styles to create a sophisticated yet timelessly lo-fi sound that will impress at every turn. The rough yet sweet female vocal works well with the rockabilly, strong bouncy bass lines, 50's rock & surf rock. The catchy bounding rock of Julia with its cheeky little riff; reminiscent of Sugarcult's -- 'Bouncing Off The Walls' and memorable chorus create a very strong opening song. This is a track that defines the album's sound without pre-defining its style.
The rough garage rock of; 'Ghouls' is quite reminiscent of Germany's She-Male Trouble whilst the laid back ska of; 'Girl In A Cage' presents a instrumental sound very similar to early Less Than Jake song; 'Johnny Quest Thinks We're Sellouts'. The Horrorpops are so timeless because they are already out of fashion and have been for some time. So as they shy away from today's trends they actually run straight into the lamp post of creative timing -- causing a bloody nose bleed of potential success. The double bass completely powers this record. It has not been put to such good in punk rock since the Living End brought it back into fashion with a vengeance; in their successful single 'Roll On'.
'Where They Wander' finds the band sounding surprisingly like The Distillers. With an edgy vocal and a rather rough, yet clean guitar sound. This may well be the Horrorpops' only problem -- They sound like so many bands; sometimes frighteningly so. So while you may find friendly familiarity in abundance. There may not always be enough originality in each track to offer a completely new experience for you. I never thought that would be an issue with this diverse record, and in some songs it isn't at all. However it certainly does apply in quite a few cases.
The ridiculous and fun rock 'n roll of; 'Cool Flat Top' with its enjoyable little chorus of; 'Cool, cool, cool flat top, yeah, be mine with the cool flat top!' Another fine example of their 50's rock influence is the hit and miss; 'Dotted With Hearts'. In contrast - the surf rock of; 'What's Under My Bed' presents a collection of edgy and laid back structures with a catchy breakdown mid song and b-movie horror lyrics.
While this record isn't perfect, it often sounds extremely fresh. Especially on; the Hawaiian tinged 'Horror Beach'. You may well recognize a lot of styles throughout but the Horrorpops manage to make 90% of them their own. This is an album both you and your parents will love; as it is so filled with 50's nostalgia and lo-fi tendencies. So try something new by trying something old. You may be pleasantly surprised. The Horrorpops would make John Wayne quick draw in his grave and Elvis drop his burger and grab a surf board.
Standout Tracks: 'Julia', 'Girl In A Cage' & 'Horrorbeach'.
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