Hooray For Earth
Public Assembly, 5.27.09
Reading some of the other things the press has said about Hooray For Earth, it could be really hard to pin down what the Boston/NYC quartet sounds like.
NPR describes them by saying “With an ear for both ’80s-inspired synth pop and contemporary indie rock sensibilities, Hooray For Earth falls somewhere between The Magnetic Fields and Voxtrot.”
Bostonist says “With their self-titled debut, the members of Hooray For Earth sought a middle ground between Nine Inch Nail’s industrial thrash and the grunge force of Nirvana.”
And RCRD LBL says “Think Joy Division + Guided By Voices + a lot of narcoleptic visions.”
These are three pretty different descriptions of the same band. Which of these views is correct? Well, I don’t really get the Magnetic Fields reference, but all three publications seem to catch a piece of what Hooray For Earth is all about. With their guitars tuned down to the bottom-most levels, Hooray For Earth takes well-crafted pop songs and turns them into something unique. I can’t help but think of Torche when I hear Hooray For Earth. Not that these bands really sound alike, but at times their low tuning and songwriting philosophies cross similar paths. Torche has drawn attention for their heavy focus on melody and pop hooks, despite being a powerful metal band along the lined of The Melvins.
It’s that same understanding of melody that shows through in Hooray For Earth’s songwriting. Songs like “How Are You Here” and “Carefree” are instantly catchy, despite containing an onslaught of crunchy guitars and pounding drums. This is exactly one of the things that made Kurt Cobain and Nirvana so special. No matter how heavy or in your face the music is, Hooray For Earth never loses the ability to hook you with a catchy melody.
Along with the combo of bass, guitar and drums, synths play a major role in giving HFE their signature sound, filling space with an atmospheric touch, and at times providing a layered effect not dissimilar to backing vocals, as with the excellent “Take Care.”
Live, Hooray For Earth is just as refreshing as they are on record. On Wednesday night at Public Assembly, they proved it once again. Unlike a majority of New York’s local bands, HFE plays with an infectious energy, like a band truly having their way with their instruments, rather than just standing still and fiddling with them. It’s sort of like Hooray For Earth is an experienced man having sex in the heat of passion—not overthinking, but knowing exactly what their doing—while many other bands may can convey the image of lacking the passion, despite possessing the experience and knowledge of the female anatomy.
With a full length and EP to their credit, Hooray For Earth has begun to work on their sophomore full length, and if their previous releases are any indication, it’ll be something to really look forward to.
For Wednesday’s gig, Hooray For Earth was joined by a trio of strong local acts—Appomattox, Radical Dads, and Zambri—all of which are most definitely worth checking out.