Nearly every active new band in the modern day that tries to present themselves with any sort of integrity draws from the tried and true, solid musical tenure of the '90's. In the '90's, though, new bands that sought the same sort of respect, took their inspiration from the '80's underground. The Indianapolis threesome Hero Jr., however, decided to skip the '90's middle man entirely, and design themselves instead around that very distinct underground rock influence - drawn directly from the generation that spawned it.
Make no mistake, the eight tracks on Hero Jr.'s debut self titled offering have enough modern gloss to deny any accusation of mimicry, but their raw, power chord driven brand of rock solidly reminds of the things that nearly everything else in rock music today seems to be forgetting.
Hero Jr. frontman Evan Haughey boasts an impressive track record, having established himself originally with an earlier three piece ensemble called Ether. After taking first place in a competition of 300 national acts, Ether went on to release three well-received EP's before disbanding. Now, accompanied by brother Matthew Haughey on drums, Dan Piston on keys, and the deceptively good Dave DuBrava on bass guitar, Haughey went on to form Hero Jr. They're the "retro fashioned" cool kid in class, and they're rallying an unheralded stealth attack on the independent music scene.
Demonstrating an unwavering knack for composing solid, lyrically enticing songs, the band's accolades come as no big surprise. With Haughey's rousing compositions dealing in the objective recognition of his own behavior, to the means by which he's distancing himself from his external emotional assailants, the man commands the attention of his audience like a (here it comes) hero. He uses himself as a scapegoat for the human condition, making us realize what's really ailing us, what's really getting us so upset - and the stellar line-up that complete Hero Jr. aid him in giving us the what for.
The single-worthy, and much celebrated "Shake It Out", is of course the stand-out track on the album. Outwardly because it's a grinding, stop-start jumper, but symbolically because it really represents everything Hero Jr. is all about. "So you got a little piece of heart in your hand / and you want a new start and you want a new plan / playing for the other team's side I see / Why you gotta go and mess around with me?" - this is just one example of Haughey's mapping of the problem, questioning the intent and then telling himself (and his listeners) to simply: "Shake it out". Get it off your mind, ignore it, and just move on from it. Dan Piston's key work in the outer regions of the mix, tinkling like rounded pendulums falling from a crystal chandelier - is so intense for the song as whole, but it makes you wonder if maybe the element was an after thought he came up with during rehearsal. Like "Holy shit - what if I did THIS..", or something to that effect. Either way, if it wasn't there it wouldn't make the song any less fantastic, but the fact that it is is brilliant.
Another great, "Over The Line" addresses speaking out against being disregarded (presumably, by a lover) in a sardonic sci-fi grandeur kind of way, highlighting Haughey and the band's tongue-in-cheek sensibility in the same way they suggest on the CD's cover art. A whale trapped in an air balloon, looking all sadsack as he's carried off by a little yellow chick in the tiny basket below. The big picture captured and held hostage by such a small aggressor in the grand scheme of things - that's Hero Jr's recurring theme. "Living With Time" speaks to this as well, in the lines "You're living your life through a clock on the wall / So worried about living you're not living at all...". It's as though you're witnessing a gallery presentation of an artists work - different representations of a shared message, offering different angles to consider it from, and different scenarios to imagine it in. One, if not all of them, will suit you as something you can relate to, guaranteed.
While the collection falls just two songs short of being a full length album, it still offers just enough material to live up to LP expectations. "New York City" is a stunning closer for the recording - a pep-strummed porch chair acoustic about a determined young man and the rejection he endures from those who could have done him good, if only they'd had the empathy or inclination. "After you've struck him all out," Haughey sings, "tell me, where do you weigh it all out?"
All this being said, you'd have to wonder how a band with this much integrity can carry on as being relatively unknown in a larger arena. The one shred of dignity that still seems to exist in the modern music atmosphere, and the one beacon of hope, is that there are certain artists that can only exist this way - as underground phenomenons - for so long, before they're bound to be dug up and pulled into the spot light; because they're just too damn good to go unrecognized. Hero Jr. is just such a band, if there are any. Despite the lack luster dross that encompasses the majority of what passes for music these days, there still seems to be that every once in awhile when proper credit gets paid to properly deserving musicians. If there's any justice left to speak on behalf of that, well - Hero Jr.'s fame and fortune is just moments away.
 |
| Click the image to sample or buy Hero Jr's CD |
No comments:
Post a Comment