indie rock – Vinyl Mag

Hiding Places, Out of Hiding: “Homework”

Posted on July 30, 2021July 30, 2021 by Zeina Khalife

Hiding Places are one of many bands emerging through the bustling post-pandemic creative scene, escaping from an isolation that long limited the ignition of projects in-the-making. Though most of us spent apocalypse-times contemplating survival, it’s quite refreshing to remember how isolation drove many to cultivate time and energy towards their art. I saw this vitality at work amongst musical friends, and more-so those that spend their free time playing around in elaborately concocted home-studios—a fateful reality for the making of Hiding Places. Embracing the gradual return to live music with the release of a new single and mini-tour announcement, Hiding Places are just starting out with already a whole lot to offer, ever-present in the impressions of “Homework.”

The indie four-piece release their debut song today, only a few days after a fun first show at Flicker Bar in Athens on Wednesday. The single showcases their music as a blend of classic indie rock and psych dreampop, drawing upon the melodic affinities of Soccer Mommy, Snail Mail, and Japanese Breakfast. Originating between the creative hotspots of Athens, GA and Asheville, NC, the group are reflective of their influences, yet organic in their delivery of nostalgic indie. The single was mixed and produced by guitarist Nicholas Byrne, whose range of talent is evident between his present band and experimental solo project, Arts + Crafts—a diverse collection of vibrant electronica that is also available on all streaming platforms (check it out!).

Although the band self-identifies their sound as “indie alt-country”, what “Homework” translates to is a slow-build of meditative, entrancing vocals matched by waves of floaty instrumentation. Harmonious layers of swirling guitar surround the space of the single, with a presence so immense and dominating it supersedes the chorus. Serving as a transitory daze between verses, the guitar & echoing ooh’s quickly effect the song into what feels like a psychedelic whirlwind (a comforting familiarity). The serene coordination between the two invokes a feeling both uplifting and reflective. Cyclical drums and bass shy in the background, complimenting the vocals/guitar and helping to cast you adrift the song’s contemplative dreamscape.

“Homework” is one of those songs whose instrumentals alone intuitively drive the volume up, and with such a pacifying voice, the varied potential of the band is eminent. Although hardly “alt-country”, the song invites an emotive yet heavy sound—similar in feeling to that of Melody’s Echo Chamber—a style the band has already proven to naturally embody. Between this and their future releases, which may dabble more in the realms of alt folk and country, I’m personally loving the psychedelic nature of “Homework” and am super stoked to hear how their music evolves from it. If you too are impressed by the band’s first release, you’ll be happy to know that they’ve recently finished recording a full-length album here in Athens, and plan to release the record both digitally and on pressed vinyl this fall.

Check out their bandcamp, & to stay tuned into their upcoming shows + new music announcements, do hit up @hidingplacesband on instagram!

Middle Kids are a Force to be Reckoned with on Debut Album “Lost Friends”

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Anna Lee

An eclectic combination of confidence, self-doubt, love, and lust ooze from “Lost Friends,” the debut album from Australian trio, Middle Kids. The vocals of singer/guitarist Hannah Joy radiate self-assurance, but the lyrics tell a story of uncertainty and woe. Combined with the powerful instrumentals of Tim Fitz and Harry Day, the fresh-faced band navigates rocky waters throughout 12 tracks, ultimately finding their footing and showing promise as a compelling force in indie rock.

The first two tracks radiate angst and frustration, with the opening track “Bought It” expressing immense, hopeless frustration. The words, “My friend, I need a little help / To fend the darkness at the end” serve as an introspective, foreshadowing nod to the tracks that follow. It marches on with an uptempo, catchy chorus reminiscent of an early aughts alt-pop sound. “Mistake” continues with a similar angst, exploding with sounds that somehow feel pleasantly nostalgic and strangely outdated all at the same time.The lyrics and composition seem like something that would have been written 10 years ago, yet Joy’s vocals thrust it into the contemporary. Despite the too-new-to-be-retro, too-old-to-be-cool feel it gives off upon first listen, it all still lands. The emboldened lyrics are refreshingly relatable, while the powerful, larger-than-life instrumentals are more than impressive coming from a band of three.

The fourth track, “Maryland,” serves as a refreshing break from the chaotic opening three tracks, and the band seems to be settling into their skin at this point in the album. As the tracks build, the album begins to find a new, more mature path that feels more self-assured than the upbeat, mystified jolts of energy found in the opening tracks. Lost Friends continues to build from here, with “On My Knees” expressing lost bewilderment that’s vague enough to be relatable, telling a heartfelt, compelling story of the ever-winding frictions of life and love.

Pieces of the album show great promise for the future of the band, although there are points where the trio’s maturity as a band falters. At parts, the lack of complex emotions exposes weaknesses in the lyrics. “Don’t Be Hiding” feels shallow and uniform in comparison to the labyrinth of emotions and sounds the band is so clearly capable of. But, while the listener is left wanting more off and on throughout the tracks, the complex scope of arrangements shows promise for the future of Middle Kids’ development.

The scatterbrained, diverse organization of the tracks in the album actually become a redeeming quality, conveying vulnerability, empathy, and accessibility. The title track is tear-jerking and exposing, showing a naked fearlessness that so many artists fall short of finding. Overall, the unwavering fortitude in the band’s musical tone, combined with the confessions of hopelessness and confusion found within the lyrics, establish Middle Kids as a force to be reckoned with for many albums to come.

Silversun Pickups: Better Nature

Posted on October 5, 2015 by Nikki Smith

Silversun Pickups stand true to their signature indie rock sound. In their 5^th full-length album, Better Nature, synth pop beats and ambient melodies contrast with rock riffs. Front man, Brian Aubert’s, androgynous vocals harmonize with back up vocalist, Nikki Monninger for a lingering, airy effect. The soft vocals alleviate the subtle guitar distortions. Aubert describes the album as “its own quantum universe. It’s kind of unstable.” Since their start in 2005 with Pikul and Carnavas, Silversun Pickups has been one of those hidden gems of a band. It wasn’t until Swoon in 2009 that Silversun Pickups came to define a part of my own personal history. With classical violin melodies and raw rock riffs, the contrast gave the album an eerie, but catchy tone.

Better Nature leans more towards the rock-pop sound but still utilizes the atmospheric sounds prevalent in previous albums. Better Nature opens with “Cradle (Better Nature),” a rhythmic, synth-laced track with repetitive, riot-like lyrics. “Pins and Needles” follows as one of the more popular tracks. With an ambient opening, the track immediately cuts to a sonorous riff. “Nightlight” follows the same format with the transition from a quiet, slow opening to Silversun Pickup’s signature deep rock rhythm. The album really makes use of echoed background shouting which gives it that pop feel but pulls back from being too electronic with the raw guitar melodies. “The Wild Kind” finishes up the album with a synthesizer opening and an upbeat melody.

Perhaps Aubert has a point calling the album its own unstable entity, but the Silversun Pickup succeed in taking their music slightly into a different direction than usual. They straddle the line between indie-rock and synthetic pop without giving either genre too much credit. In that way, the album and the general sound of Silversun Pickup is original in its own way.

3/5