Hidden Hospitals – Liars

By Ryan G

When reflecting on my music taste, I’ve noticed changes in genre, yes—but more so in elements that stand out in the music. I supposed one thing that has remained consistent is my love of big hooks and an overall “epic” sound. Over time my listening patterns have reflected the industry at large—becoming less guitar driven and more synth and sample driven. I would also say that the music I listen to has become at once more poppy and more pensive. A wider dichotomy, but my tastes are at one end or the other instead of residing in a happy medium.

Why all the analysis of myself in an album review? Well. Hidden Hospitals have landed on a cohesive sound in which I can pick out elements of the evolution of my music taste. It’s amazing how at once Hidden Hospitals covers so much ground sonically and yet is so consistent.

If I had to choose one track from their new album, Liars, to start with it would be “Acid Rain.” It sounds like a sequel to “Rose Hips” from the band’s excellent 2015 full length, Surface Tension. The melody is one of the most instantly catchy I’ve heard all year, and it somehow screams triumph and nostalgia at the same time.

The album as a whole is going to feel familiar to Hidden Hospitals fans, yet the progression is natural. “Razor Blades” is a fitting intro, hiding the angst behind a melody played in a key that has always felt welcoming to me. Last year, we got a sample of the album with “Better Off,” a lower key song that makes me yearn for summer and lost memories. “Smile and Wave” and the title continue the theme of musical warmth—the latter leans into a more industrial vibe, heading into the chorus on a bed of organ-like synth. Gosh, why am I suddenly describing this album like a five-course meal? I guess there are some similarities.

Another thing that occurred to me is that this is a rock record that taps into a sense of wonder I experience generally only when listening to groups like M83, Mutemath, or Tycho. It’s not only the more electronic direction that I can attribute this shift to; it’s also Dave Raymond’s consistently on-point, emotive vocals—which continue to grow. I sometimes feel that drawing comparisons between bands is a cheap shortcut for music journalists to take, but I can’t help but think of the fact that 30 Seconds to Mars, another band with emotive roots and strong vocals, also released a record this year. Is Liars the album that Jared Leto wishes he made?

I’ll leave you with that question.

Hidden Hospitals is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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