Hockey's Mind Chaos
A previous iTunes free download and a strong track, Hockey’s “Song Away” feels like electronic pop-rock and has a bubbly, dance-demanding sound. The lyrics follow suit as the verse “tomorrow’s just a song away” is sung by the slightly squealy, yet smooth voice of lead singer, Ben Grubin.
Mind Chaos is Hockey’s first studio album. While not all the tracks contain the same infectious happiness and joie de vivre of “Song Away,” the rest of the album reveals the multi-talents of the band. The first track, “Too Fake,” has a hip electronic beat and lyrics that call for attention, but the melody appears inadequate during the first listen.
Within several tracks however, the album begins to pick up. Quirky electronic sound effects crescendo as the album progresses. “Learn To Lose” features Star-Wars-ish laser noises. By this point, it seems the band has found their groove as well as their melody; “Learn To Lose” is another song that demands a sing-a-long. Grubin experiments with falsetto, as well as several throaty and powerful runs of notes that put his interesting voice to good use.
With its progression, the album also gains stylistic diversity, moving from the syncopated, edgy “Curse This City,” to the folksy, trotting “Four Holy Photos,” a mid-paced song featuring occasional harmonica accompaniment. “Preacher” fuses piano-founding jazz and light, tropical percussion reminiscent of steel drums and a xylophone on a Caribbean beach.
By the time the sleepy, melancholy concluding track begins to play, the album has more than made up for its slow start. It’s also one of those odd albums that grows upon the listener, sounding dull at first and gradually becoming quite fun to hear. Even the initially disappointing melody of “Too Fake” soon becomes catchy. Mind Chaos provides an eclectic collection of songs that ultimately form a cohesive album.
The sound could most easily be compared to that of The Strokes and Razorlight, although the Grubin’s voice and the tropical feel of “Preacher” evoke thoughts of Vampire Weekend.
Check out a preview of Hockey on our Blip page.
Reach the reporter at klepain@asu.edu
