Artist: Hatcham Social
Title: About Girls
Genre: Indie / Alternative / Post-Punk
Release Date: 2nd April 2012
Label: Fierce Panda
Album Review
HATCHAM SOCIAL is are a new cool; a hip and vibrant Indie band that make you want you to apply your shades and click your thumb in harmony. Their most recent album, ‘About Girls’, works like a tantalising soundtrack to a Sofia Coppola film or perhaps a film from the French new wave era. Their groovy beats, catchy guitar riffs and with lyrics like “beat” poetry exacerbates a certain smooth in their well executed record. However, they do veer off into a pop-like sound here and there with a more upbeat grandeur, their debut LP ‘You Dig The Tunnel, I’ll Hide The Soil’ was a much slower record, at times haunting and melancholic but with a newly born direction, they have returned with ‘About Girls’ - an accessible listen that refutes to explore their latter dark side (even though the context of the album is indeed about the girls that have broken their hearts) they provide the listener with a perkier sound making it impossible for anybody not to tap their feet to the palatable guitar solos. The most interesting significance about this record is the evolution and progression they have mad since their debut.
It’s most certainly nice to know that the “underground guitar pop” sound is still raving below the surface. Sounds of THE SMITHS and NADA SURF resonates episodically, especially with the opener track ‘NY Girl’ with its Marr-like guitar strums. The track ‘Like An Animal’ has a ‘Sonic Youth’ edge whilst ‘Dance With Me’ has a groove that will have you in a jitterbug in no time. ‘Lois Lane’ creates a Mod-like attitude; it’s definitely one to ride your moped too. There are some moodier tracks like ‘Shut Your Mouth’ and ‘Escape from London’ but still maintain their disco-chic awe throughout. They have an interesting get-up too; their image is like a clan of teddy boys although instead of heralding flick knives they prefer the guitar for weaponry.
Having the Charlatan’s lead man, Tim Burgess involved in their first record really sets a firm career for this band. ‘About Girls’ is a strong follow-up for sure but their dynamics here aren’t as bold as their debut LP but it most certainly delivers. One of the strongest elements to the music are the lyrics by Toby and Finn Kidd, it’s what really gives the album its fruitful kick. They have a promising spectrum, indeed they do, however, there sound isn’t refreshing or groundbreaking but it is what everybody likes and that’s damn cool guitar anthems that will perpetuate in your ears for some time to come.
Tracklist
01. NY Girl
02. Nicola Tells Me
03. Lois Lane
04. Like An Animal
05. Shut Your Mouth
06. Little Savage
07. Invention of Air
08. Dance With Me
09. Escape From London
10. Would You
11. All Summer Long
12. Somebody Else’s You
Line-up
Toby Kidd - Vocals, Guitars
Finn Kidd - Drums, Vocals
Riley Difford - Bass
David Claxton - Guitar
Websites
http://hatchamsocial.bandcamp.com/releases / https://www.facebook.com/HatchamSocial
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 6
Total: 7 / 10
Buy the album here!
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