Hope of the States return as The Northwestern
April 27th, 2009 by Flint
Losing Hope of the States was a real bitch. During their short, problem filled (original guitarist killed himself just before the debut album, heavy executive meddling and pressure) musical career the band crafted two fantastic albums (2004’s The Lost Riots and 2006’s Left) that while weren’t the sort of perfect gems they could have been with little changes, carried a great promise of the band creating an absolute classic in the future. Which then never realised after the band called it quits soon after the second album due to being fed up with the pressure they were getting. And thus a group with an unbelievably fierce passion in the sound one rarely hears in music and who had a real knack for epic and breathtakingly gorgeous melancholy rock seized existing. New projects have been a-plenty – the most active being something called Troubles – but each one focused on instrumental ambient and post rock of the dullest kind.
Not to mention it was a bitch for me because I got into them about a week before they broke up.
For a few years now there’s been some knowledge of a yet another new project by the band members that differed from all the others in the way that it would once again feature Sam Herlihy’s marmite-esque voice. Now that project has not only a name but first preview tracks. Welcome The Northwestern.
Head to their MooSpice and you’ll not only spot two songs up for listening, as well as a rather relaxed and different band image when compared to the dark broody ones from their previous incarnation. And if the image is different, so is the music: both “Telephones” and “All the Ones” are much, more relaxed, upbeat and even stripped down in sound than HOTS’ material. Sadly, this little blogger feels a bit of something is lost in the songs. “Telephones” is better of the two and captures some of the vibes from the band’s past, sounding mildly promising, while “All the Ones” is simply a terribly uninteresting little rocker where even a horn section can make it better. It’s all a bit too relaxed.
I’m not casting judgemental decisions or anything based on two preview tracks. I’m a bit wondering if the emotional strains the band had during their first incarnation had anything to do with the sheer intensity of the music, but you know, sod that for a moment. I’m just happy right now that the group is back in some form.
