The Hoosiers - 'Choices'
Second-album re-inventions are hard. It's fine if you're an Amy Winehouse, and you suddenly seem to develop massive focus in your music from one album to the next, but if you were any good to start off with, it's always going to be difficult to convince the people who love your atonal indie scree that you were always really into pop-reggae.
2010 has already seen two quite startling sonic shifts from artists with an already-established sonic footprint and accompanying fanbase. The most notable is Plan B, because no-one knew he could (or would want to) sing like that, and also because it has worked incredibly well. Then there's Bombay Bicycle Club, who would definitely be hailed as brave sonic adventurers if Stornoway and Laura Marling and Mumford and Sons weren't already hogging the olden-days hoedown kudos.
The thing with the Hoosiers going a bit electropop is it is in no way a betrayal of the band they were on their first album, nor is it a shameless sellout - a stab at a sound which is more commercial. I say this in the full and certain knowledge that I am not psychic, and the people in the band could well be cravenly chasing the hit sound of the nowadays with no thought of artistic worth whatsoever.
The point is, I don't really mind if they are.
(. OK, so maybe not EVERYTHING has changed.)
I mean LISTEN TO THE THING! It's like La Roux and Metro Station had a little robot baby and it was raised by, well, the Hoosiers. It's good!
And not good in the kind of way that will cause tension in people who consider themselves to have rarified taste. Anyone who secretly quite enjoyed 'Goodbye Mr A' but could never admit it because the band clearly enjoyed their own ridiculousness - people with rarified taste hate that - will find this a lot easier to lend their support to.
This is partly because the electropop heart of the thing is slinky - people like slinky - and partly because the song is not an overly pleased-with-itself sort of a thing. It isn't DIS-pleased with itself either, I should add. A justifiable amount of pleased. And rightly so.
And that is because it is undeniably a proper song, with Irwin sounding suitably frustrated by his own inability to make his mind up in the face of too many options.
Which of us can honestly say we've never felt something similar? Some restaurants have menus like telephone directories. The chances of finding the perfect dish are dramatically reduced under such circumstances, which can be very stressful.
In summary: new Hoosiers good, cocky restaurants bad.
Download: Out now
Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
"Some of these bands in the UK sure know how to make catchy songs."
"There's a strong Buggles feeling here, which is a relatively specific sound I've been waiting to come back for a long time."
"It's almost as if the Hoosiers have become very listenable overnight. Surely a sign of the apocalypse?"
Comment number 1.
At 27th Jul 2010, shaunonz21 wrote:Hello all - first time commenter from New Zealand, but do love UK music
Have to say I love this song and I liked the first album as well. 4 stars is probably fair. Isn't worthy of the 5 stars of greatness
(And speaking of sonic shifts in sound I eagerly await a review of McFly's new single)
Complain about this comment (Comment number 1)
Comment number 2.
At 27th Jul 2010, spirit wrote:Good analysis of sonic shifts Frase !
Plan B - What a triumph in a plethora of ways.
Who saw the Bombay Bike's change of gears coming ?
Onto The Hoosiers , one of my fave moments in recent years was celebrating with Irwin , on a Boat , the day their debut album "The Trick To Life" went to number 1 !!
Brilliant !
Worried About Ray was a classic debut single .
I have bigged up Choices for the last 3 months , and on first listen , when I heard the Hot Chip keyboards , and heard the standout glory of that commercial chorus , I felt it would be a sizeable hit .
I said top 20 for this , about a month ago , but now we are looking a li higher, due to radio airplay and the brilliance of this hilarious video where Irwin looks more like Ben Stiller with each frame !
Anyone else think this ?
A real, feel good comeback single.
The album "The Illusion of Safety " is out August 16th .
Complain about this comment (Comment number 2)
Comment number 3.
At 27th Jul 2010, harrythedog10 wrote:I'm suprised how much I enjoyed this, the video probably helped a bit though. It's fun and entertaining to listen to, even if it is all a bit Hot Chip meets McFly. 4 STARS
Complain about this comment (Comment number 3)
Comment number 4.
At 27th Jul 2010, kutox wrote:I enjoyed a few of their previous singles, they were catchy but more in a guilty pleasure sort of way than anything else. But this is a proper good tune, it's got the same sort of oddness as before but it's much more accomplished. Love the video too.
I hope this will be a top 10 hit, but other than Radio 1 (B list) I wonder how much support it's getting.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 4)
Comment number 5.
At 27th Jul 2010, OddOne wrote:I do like this song, but unfortunately I was fortunate enough to hear snippets of four of their new songs on Pop Justice and... I must say... 'Choices' comes across as the weakest of the four songs.
Surely this can only be a good sign then? That the seemingly weakest song is still very good? I'd give the song 'Bumpy Ride' and good look in.
4 stars for 'Choices', though.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 5)
Comment number 6.
At 27th Jul 2010, flatknees wrote:i believe 4 stars is spot on.. if the new album can replicate the consistency of the trick to life then all should be well
Complain about this comment (Comment number 6)
Comment number 7.
At 27th Jul 2010, flatknees wrote:... and its an awesome video
Complain about this comment (Comment number 7)
Comment number 8.
At 27th Jul 2010, kutox wrote:Album previews are up on iTunes. I just had a listen. Sounding REALLY good. I mean, properly seriously good.
Another one for the pre-order basket :)
Complain about this comment (Comment number 8)
Comment number 9.
At 27th Jul 2010, OddOne wrote:IT'S GONNA BE A BUMPY RIDE! (8)
Is that you, George Michael? :L
Complain about this comment (Comment number 9)
Comment number 10.
At 29th Jul 2010, Mak Wai Keung wrote:I think concern the Chinese culture, example: Chinese opera, wu shu or kung fu.... in MV. I feel the Chinese culture carry out the fan for overseas.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 10)
Comment number 11.
At 29th Jul 2010, OddOne wrote:Exactly what I was thinking ^^
I joke of course.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 11)
Comment number 12.
At 29th Jul 2010, kutox wrote:That's the trouble with those online translator websites...
Complain about this comment (Comment number 12)
Comment number 13.
At 29th Jul 2010, flatknees wrote:yea i dont know whether Keung is happy or angry
Complain about this comment (Comment number 13)
Comment number 14.
At 29th Jul 2010, spirit wrote:He could also be sitting on the fence . ;)
Complain about this comment (Comment number 14)
Comment number 15.
At 29th Jul 2010, spirit wrote:I think Mak is expressing the use of Chinese culture in the video for Choices . The beginning of this video with Irwin filming an advert , is very reminiscent of Bill Murray and his advertising skills in Lost in Translation , which was set in the Far East .
Complain about this comment (Comment number 15)
Comment number 16.
At 2nd Aug 2010, thranjax wrote:Agree with Spirit, love the Hoosiers. Fun and self aware equals great.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 16)
Comment number 17.
At 5th Sep 2010, OddOne wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
Complain about this comment (Comment number 17)