Happy Hollows: Spells

This one showed up in my inbox last night and ever since I’ve been playing it to death and subsequently becoming a bit smitten with The Happy Hollows’ infectious brand of pop punk meets art-rock. The Los Angeles Times hit it on the head when they described the group’s sound as a “pugilistic mix of stinging guitars, turbulent rhythms, and shouted vocals.” The obvious names of The Breeders and P.J. Harvey are dropped in many of the reviews but I also hear lots of late 70s UK punk in the music a’la The Adverts or The Slits as well as the howls of anguish that made Marcy Mays of Scrawl so engaging. Overall, there’s just something really genuine about this band and what it is they’re striving to achieve.

Incidentally enough, The Happy Hollows debut full-length, Spells, hit both stores and online vendors today with the obligatory East Coast tour to take place this October; no doubt in the hopes of taking advantage of the CMJ New Music Marathon showcase. The song “High Wire” is the single but out of the three tracks sent to me, the album’s opener, “Faces” with its driving buzz-saw guitar riff gets the slight nod followed in close second by “Monster Room.” Stream the full album or select songs here.

The Happy Hollows – “Faces” (mp3)

(from the TuneCore CD, Spells, 2009)